


Zootopia The Original Plot

by J_Shute_Norway



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Original, Dystopia, Dystopian Zootopia, Gen, T.A.M.E. Shock Collars (Zootopia)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2018-09-18 00:41:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 178,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9355574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Shute_Norway/pseuds/J_Shute_Norway
Summary: Imported from Fan-Fic.net. The Original plotline of Zootopia, pieced together with material released by Disney.Nick Wilde and his friends have only ever known the life of second class citizens. But when Nick dares to dream big, he becomes wrapped up in a conspiracy far above his head. With Judy Hopps hot on his heel, he and his friends have their work cut out to prove their innocence, and to help the Predators of Zootopia.





	1. Chapter 1

**Authors notes: I would like to thank my proof reader, theUltimateblack. I'd also like to thank the Deviant artist Escrainus, who kindly did the awesome new cover art for this Fic. Finally, I'd like to thank the amazing Arcana, who's going through this like a nit comb to find all those niggly little mistakes that slipped the net.**

**.**

**For those of you who don't know, this is an attempted recreation of the cut 'collar plot', pieced together using cut scenes and art scraps. Now, this version is wrong. It was proven wrong by release art while I still worked on it, and by more cut scenes even later on. Originally, I had a revised plot outline as detailed at the back of the fanfic version, but even that was proven wrong. Eventually you'll find my latest theory at the end of this copy of the fic, though I'm pretty sure that's wrong too!**

**.**

**Suffice to say, if I constantly tried to rewrite this story to be 100% accurate, I'd be spending all my time on an impossible task. Thus, I think it's best to take the story you have, and polish it up the best shine possible. I do hope you enjoy.**

.

" _Remember when you were young?_

_You shone like the sun."_

_._

**Chapter 1:**

It was dark… dark and warm with the humidity in the air sticking to your skin and body hair. The sky, peeking through the thick green canopy up above, was host to thousands upon thousands of stars whose light, unobstructed by the harsh glare of artificial competition, glistened through the verdant overgrowth in a million colours like spilt glitter on the inkwell-purple night sky canvas. The Moon, a bright cream crescent, hung in the air like a lantern. The sounds… a cacophony of competing bugs and guttural, primeval calls pricked all ears in attendance, sending them swivelling curiously back and forth as they tried to hone in on the source.

"Thousands of years ago," came a calm and soothing voice. Soft and maternal, it spoke as it gently pulled those who followed it forward, "the world… was a very different place…" There was a pause, the voice pulling the listeners forward as if about to reveal a fantastic surprise. "A place, where…"

"EVERYBODY WAS NAKED!"

.

In a flash, the night time scene was torn aside as a train shot along its tracks, slicing through the air as it began travelling around a great bend in the line. Barrelling past brown stone cliffs and swaying conifers, the bright blue sky and warm sun reflecting off its tinted windows, a side window shook before sliding down to reveal a small face, its fur russet red and dirty cream, poking out. The wind flattened both his fur and his green short sleeved shirt, while pulling back his large ears and his little tie behind his head, making them flap in the breeze. While his eyes were squinted up tight, shielding themselves from the storm, a wide toothy grin shot across his stubby little muzzle as he lived in the moment. His eyes widened with anticipation and wonder as the train finished turning and entered the home straight. Across a great concrete viaduct it raced, over the water and towards the great steel and glass metropolis beyond. The centre, filled with huge steel and glass towers whose twisting, almost organic, structures reached proudly into the sky, was a kaleidoscope of shining colour that stood out as a beacon for all those who were lost in life to follow. The little kit was certainly following it, his wide eyes locked on and fully enthralled by the spectacle, drawn towards the city like a moth to a flame and filled with wonder. It was only when a larger paw tapped on his shoulder that the trance was broken.

Closing the window part way and hopping down from the ledge, the boy looked up at a large figure looming above him whose dark red fur was painted orange from the light in the room. As a weak and trembling smile grew across his muzzle, his paw fished into a suit pocket and brought out a small gift-wrapped box. Holding it up, his quivering and sickly grin growing ever wider as he did so, he watched as his son's emerald coloured eyes widened at the sight. The little kit's mouth was straining to smile even more than it already was while he hopped up and down in anticipation, his paws tuckered up against his chest and tail violently swishing around. Leaning forward, the older fox gave a sniff as a tear, and then another, ran down his face as he reached out with the gift in paw. As he went, his son pulled the present out of his hand and tore off the wrapping, before practically squealing as he saw the box beneath.

"Thanks Dad!" he shouted, his voice brimming with excitement, gratitude and joy before he paused, looking up at his sniffling and crying father.

"Paps…?" he began to ask, his voice suddenly filled with concern and his head sharply tilting to the side, before a paw came forward, a finger raised up to his mouth to shush him. Looking up he saw his father, dressed in his best suit and tie, with tears in his eye **s** and an ever-widening smile on his mouth.

"I love you Son," the older fox said, his voice tinged with pride and sadness as he raised up his other paw. Drawing his son into a hug, he reached out and pulled up the window, shielding the pair from the prying eyes of the outside world as flecks of sand began flying past, speckling the window as the train carried on. Pulling out it seemed the train had aged and worn in that time, two and a half decades of wear peeling and dulling the once lustrous shine as the express raced into the city proper.

.

" _This is my town,_ " narrated a voice. It was loud, deep(ish), clear and spoke proudly as it charismatically extolled the virtues of the place it called home. The train was finally back on land, passing through a wide sandy plain  
and shooting by a great range of buildings that were all built up around the massive palm hotel tower; its decorative fronds casting welcome shadows across the township below as they blocked out the harsh sun. On the streets below, thousands of mammals could be seen living their own unique lives, working and playing next to each other in complete harmony. Carrying on, past the restaurants and bars which eagerly waited for the cool of the night to open, the train weaved through a set of great canyons. Their steep cliffs ranged in hue from red to yellow to brown, with homes and businesses built into great towers or carved into the rocks themselves. Leaving even these, the train was painted in a hot orange as it closed in on a great bank of heaters, before it dove through a tunnel at its base.

" _Zootopia_ …"

The train exited the tunnel and was met with the snow-scape of Tundratown. Moving away from climate wall, world's largest air conditioner and marvel of mammal engineering, its wake swept up the flurries of snow being sprayed by the numerous snow cannons into a twirling mist that was carried away by the wind. Passing high over the town centre on a set of great brick arches, it passed bustling cold markets and winter sports parks, before diving through a second tunnel.

_"Land of opportunity."_

The orange train stood out like a sore thumb against the rich greens and browns of the rainforest district. Passing beneath the elevated bridges and walkways, it was just in time to see the thousands of rain emitters turn on. The downpour began: clearing the air, whisking away the excess heat and flushing out the accumulating grime of city life. Weaving through the giant trees, or huge buildings (often only experts could tell the difference), the train was cleaned of the dust and grime from the earlier parts of its trip all while the glass of its observation dome reflected the hundreds of rainbows forming in the morning mist. Entering the last tunnel, burrowing through the rolling hills that separated the rainforest district from downtown, it finally emerged into the warmth of Savannah central in all its glory.

" _Where any mammal can achieve their dreams!_ "

In the distance, a glitzy elevator began descending, passing window after window to the lives of the well-endowed. With a keen eye, you could spot a smartly dressed pair of squirrels, effortlessly polishing the horn of a distinguished Rhino as he checked the cuffs on his fine suit. Further down was a family of possums, hanging by their tails as they settled in for a movie night/day, with popcorn and all. Evidently tired by a hard night's work, a Hippopotamus put on a pair of soft, silk pyjamas before relaxing through the decorative lily's and into the warm, moisturising embrace of his jumbo-sized water bed. The elevator, if you were still following it, reached the ground level and opened. Stepping out was a stunning Gazelle, who just so happened to take that as a stage name when she sung for the city, who was soon laid upon by the paparazzi. Having waited patiently like vultures (not that there were any in the crowd seeing as they lived off in the Kingdom of Avaria (although two were apparently in the city on a business trip)), they flew forward to gorge on their latest meal. Bulbs flashed and the air was filled with thin whiffs of smoke as the pop star, enjoying every minute and second, strutted to her waiting limo and entered. Driving off, the photographers followed leaving the street eerily quiet.

On the other side of the street walked three scruffy figures, slowly plodding along. Their workman overalls were stained and grubby, the sticky gunk covering them also gluing to the mammals' fur. Their leader, a red fox in a worn out green anorak, walked with the same world-weary slouch and disinterested eyes as his two companions, each foot being pulled in front of the other and falling to the floor as they carried on. Looking forward, he sighed and glanced sideways.

" _Unless you're a chomper!_ " Nick Wilde's internal voice continued, using up the last of his enthusiasm for a final flourish, laced in sarcasm. The tone dropped, becoming bitter and weary. " _AKA, you descend from a line of mammals that, like thousands of years ago, ate other mammals. Something which no one's done in several millennia… 'cause eating your neighbour would be totally disgusting…_ "

The trio continued walking down the road, before turning towards a grimy factory where they clocked in, their movements robotic and without thought.

_"But they still call us chompers… and that's fine! 'Cause I got plenty of names for them, too."_

_._

The inside of the factory was hot and humid, the noise unbearable. In certain areas came the incessant chirping of crickets, freshly raised in the outer districts and surrounding country. Entire shipping containers could be brought in, hauled from the train carts by an overhead gantry crane before the live contents was poured out onto conveyor belts. The dumb insects, oblivious to their fate, rolled along towards a large metal box which had yellow and black trefoils plastered across its dull lead walls while, from the small entrance and exit, a greeny-blue glow emanated. The crickets were carried in and, in an instant, their chirps and sounds were painlessly stopped. Warm, mushy and free of disease or parasites, the food to be was rolled out and split into several conveyors, sending it towards half a dozen industrial mashers that were all hard at work. As the metal crushers rose and fell and burgers were spurted out, all accompanied by the many soulless sounds that were continually squealing and beating away, the three mammals unenthusiastically attended to the operation in their worn-out work uniforms.

The smallest, a tan coloured fennec fox, his enormous ears folded down beneath the baggy blue factory scrubs which were at least two sizes larger than him, would wander from extruder to extruder waiting for the occasional fault. Every time the patties coming out of the outlets were misshapen or the tube itself clogged, he would press the stop button and begin bitterly mumbling to himself as he cleared out the extruder with a trowel. Straining his muscles to remove the blockage, he'd inevitably cover himself with muck in the process before turning the machine back on.

The largest, a chubby cheetah, swept up the continuous splatter and threw it back into the crushing vat. The mind-numbing tedium of his continuous job was at least sullied somewhat by the glitzy music that came out of his radio, permanently tuned to the pop station as evident from the out of tune lyrics he eagerly parroted. He could even crack a smile here and there, as he half danced along the platform doing his job.

The final worker, the red fox, overviewed the array of machines and checked that the level of meat in them never got too high or too low. With everything going fine at that moment he tapped his claws along a panel out of boredom, slouching as he did so. His hunched shoulders and bent posture showed through his costume, even as the baggy clothes he wore hid every part of him bar his face and tail. Looking up, he spotted an angry Beaver wander up and down an elevated gantry. Nick's eyes hardened as he looked on at his boss, who was busy barking incoherent orders to any unfortunate that he had decided to pick on.

" _Wood-whacker,"_ he thought, while his eyes narrowed further with contempt into a bitter scowl. _"Look at him with his stupid flat tail. Looks like a steamroller ran over it. And those giant teeth… sod ancient mammals, those things can still go through trees! But here he is… running a family business making food he will never eat… for people he despises. At least I know that with that attitude, he's alone… hopefully. I suppose that's one tiny… insignificant… consolation…_ "

"WILDE!" shouted the screaming rodent. His eyes and index finger pointed like daggers at the fox, who just so happened to be his favourite unfortunate of all.

"Yes sir," Nick tiredly replied as he stood up, before starting to wander from machine to machine. He made himself look busy, but still kept a cursory glimmer of attention on his admonisher at all times.

"DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! THIEVING, LYING… I KNOW YOUR KIND! I'LL CATCH YOU ONE DAY, RED HANDED AND THEN IT'S THE PARK BENCH FOR YOU!"

Nick, still doing his duties, merely looked up and smiled slightly before replying with as much sarcasm as he dared. "According to those mammals blessed with tri-colour vision, my paws are more of a maroonish..."

"DON'T SLY TALK ME FOX!" Woodwacker furiously interrupted, his scream sending the fox's ears flying backwards, plastering themselves against his skull. "I'LL CATCH YOU WITH HARD EVIDENCE ONE DAY, JUST YOU WAIT!"

Nick merely shrugged and went back to work, "Red fur, bushy tail, pointy ears and snout… that's all the evidence you'll ever find or care about…"

The Beaver gripped the iron bars, hackles raised and preparing another angry tirade, before a loud metal crash far away caught his attention and pulled him away.

.

Twilight was approaching as the day shift left the Bugburga factory. On one side walked the executives and marketers, well dressed prey mammals and the odd predator, likely a union rep or token something or other. In a show of unity, the shop floor workers on the other side were all predators: big cats, small cats, canids, bears, mustelids, the odd civet and even an estranged member of the marsupial order or two, such as a Tasmanian devil. Dressed in their tatty overalls, they strolled out past the car park and out onto the streets, turning towards their home or a nearby bus or rail station. Among the latter group was Nick, whose ears were raised as one of his friends, the small fennec fox, spoke out in a voice at least two octaves too deep for a mammal that size.

"I'll pick up the van Slick, meet up by the station?"

Nick nodded, and as his two friends went their own way he wandered down the sidewalk. His coat collar pulled up tight around his neck like all those around him, shielding themselves from the cold breeze coming in from Tundratown, the fox aimlessly looked around before his eyes widened slightly as he saw a middle-aged deer driving past in her car. It was a face that he hadn't seen for twenty-five odd years, and he knew just the name for her. " _Liar._ "

.

- **Twenty-five years ago** -

.

"Thousands of years ago, the world was a very different place. A place, where…"

"EVERYBODY WAS NAKED!"

The sudden energetic response had resulted in the school group bursting out in giggles and laughter. The tour leader, a young female deer, looked on with an amused smirk as her gaze fixed itself on a cute red fox kit, dressed up smart in green cargo shorts and a green collared t-shirt with a tie, who stood at the front of the group.

"Yes Nicholas, everybody was naked. We didn't have electricity, or cars, or buildings either."

The group of young kids, ranging from a small rat to a large Rhino, began murmuring as they processed the unbelievable idea. The tour guide, enjoying every minute, turned back to the presentation. It was a wide display case, showing a recreation of the primal jungle within it.

"There were other things different too back then," she continued.

"Like what?" asked a young girl from the crowd.

"Well," began the guide, "back then, mammals were divided into two groups. Prey with the flat teeth, and predators with the sharp teeth."

The announcement was met with slurps and sucks as the children began exploring their mouths, surveying their teeth with a newly awoken curiosity. The deer let them have their fun for a moment, before getting on to the important part of the field trip. The part that every kit, cub, kid and calf in Zootopia had to learn.

"And why didn't we get along?" she asked, before setting her gaze on a quieter member of the group. "Finnick?

One of the smallest Mammals in the group, a tiny fennec fox whose fur was still white in places and with ludicrous ears that were both larger than his actual head, concentrated intently for a moment before coming up with the most logical answer.

"Because we wouldn't share?"

"Close," replied the guide, as she stepped over towards a set of red curtains. "Because, predators… would eat us!"

The curtains were drawn open, showing the silhouette of a giraffe flee and panic as lions pounced and tore at it. Unified in their revulsion, the entire crowd made a chorus of eew's and other sounds of disgust.

"Now, no one's eaten anyone for thousands of years, but just to be extra safe, we have… The Tame Collar!"

The deer gestured over to a plinth in which a nylon collar was suspended. The grey fabric, reinforced by tough stiches and metal rivets, held a box the size of a pack of cards in its centre. A warm green light glowed from it, contrasting sharply with the holographic lion that now appeared. With the collar around his neck, he held his head high and wore a sharp suit while carrying a jet-black briefcase. Looking up were the predators and prey, Finnick and Nick at the front. Their eyes were glazed with awe, hands reaching up around their necks… to touch the shiny new collars strapped around them. Both smiled as they stood up straight, so happy that they were now grown up; so proud that they were big kits now.

The tour guide pressed a button and a film began, showing a cartoon lion. Standing up, with a coffee in hand, he looked as grown up and mature as the hologram one everyone had seen earlier.

"When a predator gets agitated," she began to explain, as a cartoon zebra walked onto stage and bumped into the lion. Knocking the coffee onto his shirt, the lion looked up before unleashing his fury. His face grew ugly with rage, a fearsome roar that made the poor Zebra cower shot out from his mouth, while his collar beeped three times in warning before activating.

"…The tame collar reminds them to be good…"

The short sharp buzz lit the screen blue for a few seconds before leaving a slightly stunned lion with a frizzy mane. After a quick pause to regain his composure, he smiled and shook hands with the Zebra in a mutual apology.

"So now, all mammals can be together!" finished the guide, as the cohort of school children began intermingling. Many of the prey began crowding around the occasional predator, stroking and feeling his or her collar while its owner beamed on with pride. Nicholas was about to wander off too, before he paused. His mouth piquing in thought, he turned and looked up at the guide.

"What if someone's really mean to us?" he asked, his head cocking to the side and ears flopping about as he tried to wrap his little head around the logic of the adult world. "Can't we fight back?"

The deer sighed slightly, before moving forwards, "Fights don't solve anything so you don't need to fight. Anyway, with your sharp claws and teeth, you could harm someone by mistake! You might even de-evolve and become Savage! You don't want that, do you?"

Nick paused for a moment, his face and ears tilting sharply to his other side as he thought. "I know but… my Dad cried when he put my collar on this morning. He said I didn't understand…"

"Well, your Dad might be a bad person and get shocked a lot…"

The little kit's brow furrowed at the perceived insult, while his eyes narrowed and voice adopted a deeper, angrier tone. "My Dad is the nicest person in the whole world!" he said defiantly as he crossed his arms and stretched up. "People call him honest John and…"

_BEEP…_

Nick paused suddenly, his eyes opening wide as his collar bleeped, its light now shining orange. Many of the students paused and gasped, looking his way with eyes that shone with anger, fear or curiosity. The collective shame caused Nick to cower somewhat, turning away from them with ears flat against his skull and the sensitive nape of his neck shielded with his arms, before the tour guide bent down and gently held him.

"Don't worry," she reassured him, "the collar just warned you there. It said, calm down son. This isn't worth getting angry about. I promise, it will only hurt you if you're super naughty and besides, wearing it means you can live in Zootopia! Where anyone can be anything… even you". She smiled as she gently hoofed Nick on his nose, eliciting a smile and perked up ears, before sending him hopping off to mingle with the rest of the crowd.

.

**-Present day-**

.

"Only hurt you if you're 'super naughty'" adult Nick grumbled as he walked along the pavement. His hand reached up and pulled down the high collar on his anorak, exposing the same old collar. It was scuffed a bit here and there from twenty-five years of wear and tear but the same orange light shone out, before dropping to green. His hand reached up and began shuffling the strap around and up, freeing the matted fur beneath its rest position to the cool embrace of the air. His other hand extended its claws and carefully snuck up before going underneath the strap, vainly trying to scratch a pervasive itch that hid beneath the device. Giving up, he grabbed a small tube from his pocket and rubbed some of the numbing cream around his neck, pushing it in on his pawpads so that it reached through his fur and to his worn skin beneath. Protesting at the tugging and pulling, the little box bleeped and went orange again. Nick merely grumbled some more, his words incoherent as several smaller prey families who happened to glance up pulled their children back as he approached. Nick gave a bored wave and smile, which merely sent some of them flying into their parents' arms in fear as the 'dangerous pred' shrugged before walking on by. Hoping to distract himself, he handed over a dollar at a nearby stand and grabbed a newspaper, before scanning through the headlines. He certainly distracted himself, but not in a good way. His mouth parted slightly and eyes widened in shock, his pupils taking in the big bold headline: 'Wolf goes savage, innocent sheep family saved by tame collar.'

His ears fell back with resignation as he read through the article. Up until now, savagery had always been a political buzzword or an adjective in scary children's stories. But here in the present, it depressed Nick to no end that the supporters of the damned collars seemed to be right after all. The article was brief, and didn't mention anything about the poor wolf's present state or illness or family, merely how terrifying he was and how scared the sheep were. After reading through the article a second time Nick looked around and breathed in and out in concern, pulling out a tie from underneath his anorak and cradling it in one paw, methodically stroking it for comfort with his thumb. As he ran his black pawpad along the soft, worn fabric, Nick relaxed somewhat as he finally reached his destination. Standing near the drop off point of the central station, however, it didn't take long to spot the fact that many mammals had started to give him a wide berth, while a hulking police officer fixed his accusing gaze on him.

"Of course… of course…" Nick muttered as his eyes rolled and hands went up in mock surrender. Nick wasn't just the recipient of the one in ten chance of being born a lowly chomper. Nope, he had the one in a thousand chance of being a red fox. More aggressive than wolves; more kleptomaniacal than racoons; slipperier than weasels… with a good dollop of greed, cunning and slyness added on top. That's what everyone saw him as. A no good, double dealing, back stabbing, untrustworthy, worst of the worst piece of conniving mammalian trash. Even a few of the respectable predators, the big cats primarily, looked down somewhat on his kind, likely to find some kind of solace knowing that they weren't at the bottom of the pecking order. But you know what? They all said one thing about foxes. Foxes were clever, and Nick was no exception. He was clever enough to not give a damn about what other mammals thought and instead spent his time idling through the paper, his eyes catching on the secondary front-page article:  _First Bunny Cop, Valedictorian of her class, joins ZPD precinct one._

The picture on the third page showed the little mammal, glowing with pride, accepting her badge from none other than Mayor Swinton herself, or  _Premier Trotterski_  as Nick called her. Straining his head, he tried to spot her assistant Mr Woollerson, or Woolly as everyone called him in the background. He had to admit, the Swinton era was progressive in some ways. Be you a mentally challenged sheep with a lower IQ than your food or a dumb bunny, anyone really could be anything. Unless, of course, you were a chomper.

.

Flicking through his paper, a short set of honks and a loud backfire awoke Nick to the sound of Finnick's van arriving. With its… particularly unique… neo-Aztec side mural and diminutive driver, it certainly stood out against the crowd. Nick folded up his paper and began to step forward, before wincing in horror at the sound of a squeaky horn and roaring engine.

_Beep… Beep…_

Before he could pull it up, his tail was painfully run over by a set of trust fund gerbils in their sports car, the shock sending his collar up to orange. Stupid reflex instincts kicked in and Nick's normally non-existent rage flashed over in an instant, just as it always did. All happening before he could think, Nick yelped in pain, his snout wrinkled and teeth bared, just as his collar bleeped for the second time… its light going red.

**ZAP…**

The short sharp shock, similar in pain to a hornet sting, stung Nick's neck and sent him falling to the ground, landing hard on his tail. Limbs trembling slightly and right hand firmly plastered to his still buzzing neck, Nick stood up and surveyed the surroundings. Looking up past the scattered pages of his newspaper, he saw the harsh glare of mammals who hadn't seen the provocation judging him. Those who had seen it either didn't care or, like the police office and gerbil jerks, were laughing out loud at his misfortune and pointing at him. A few other preds looked on with sympathetic eyes and small waves of their paws. The two rodents, meanwhile, high fived and sped off into the distance as Nick regained his composure.

"Jerk shock, two hundred and seventy-one." Nick muttered, as he put his pain and humiliation behind him. Gathering up the dirty sheets of newspaper beneath his armpit he walked off towards the van, massaging his neck with one hand and straightening his tie with the other. "Still no sign of them getting bored."


	2. Chapter 2

" _Everybody knows the deal is rotten._

_Old black Joe's still pickin' cotton_ "

.

**Chapter 2:**

.

Wandering down the main street, Nick passed a number of Café's that were either overpriced, didn't serve his kind (as evident by the 'No-preds', 'No-Chompers', 'No-Foxes' or 'We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone' signs in the window) or both. If you were well off, you could always put your money where your mouth was and avoid serving the occasional pred who may come past. A few business owning prey mammals were so proud that they would even continue to turn down business in hard times, even if it meant them risking bankruptcy. Of course, most owners of bad establishments would become desperate enough to give in and serve preds, so that was okay. Bad news was that the food would likely be terrible and drinks overpriced. Being a man around town, so to speak, Nick knew a of a few places that possessed at least some semblance of value for money and, as per Friday evening tradition, he and his friends met up there to complain about the week's woes.

In the middle of the litter filled side alley, shaded in gloom by the surrounding buildings, were several scattered metal chairs and tables with the odd ragged parasol sticking out of the centre. A few sets of mismatching cutlery were laid out, holding down the single sheet of laminated paper that served as a menu. Even the condiments, all in seriously uncool plastic containers and bottles, seemed more than half empty. Grabbing a chair each, Nick and his two companions settled down before a fourth and final mammal appeared.

"Nick! Finnick! Benny!" came an enthusiastic shout from afar that sent three pairs of ears up and three sets of smiles growing across three muzzles, as a stocky Honey Badger jogged up to the fourth chair and sat down. Fur ruffled up, all unkempt and dirty, she was the epitome of a gutter punk. She was dressed in her favourite baggy beige cargo shorts and grimy camo vest combo, while sporting a pair of orange safety glasses, several earrings, a plaster on her snout and a red bandana tied around her head. Even her 'hair' didn't escape the look, with her head's stripe of white fur styled up into a short squat Mohican. For all her looks, however, Honey Badger was the bubbly, crazy, emotional glue that kept this quartet of mammals together. She was there to lighten their day; to give the three boys a chance to feel the softer feelings they all possessed but were unable to express in this cold, hard world and to engage their minds in 'stimulating' conversation. Ever excited at seeing the three, her collar shone with an orange warning light as she settled into her seat and grabbed the edge of the table, before rapidly shuffling and pulling herself forwards until she could rest her elbow on the dinner cloth and lean forwards in anticipation.

"What's new?" She shot out eagerly with wide eyes and erect ears, as if she was waiting for every precious second of time she could spend with them. Her head darted about from friend to friend, eagerly awaiting the news.

"Honey, you asked the same thing when we met this morning at your place for breakfast," Finnick began, his usually threateningly deep voice now laced with weary exasperation. "Nothing is new…" he sighed, "nothing is ever new and you know it."

Honey, still smiling and unfazed, immediately took her gaze off one friend and looked over at another, her face turning to Clawhauser who merely sighed.

"I'm your roommate Honeybun," he said meekly, avoiding eye contact. "If Finnick doesn't have anything new, I really don't. Can we just order our burgers and be done?"

Honey smiled before laughing, any semblance of volume control gone. "Well that's just fine Benny Boy! Shoot in there fast stuff and bring out the booty!" Honey continued to laugh, finding simple joy in life and her companions, while slapping her leg with exuberation and pointing into the shop. The others looked on, their eyes widening with worry, and began to lean forward with half outstretched arms and raised palms, ready to calm and comfort.

"Honeybun…" Benjamin Clawhauser started, his voice laced with concern and urgency but still far too late to stop the inevitable. Friends would always have many words to describe Honey: quirky, unbalanced, energetic, emotional, accident prone… it was why they loved her. But as she gestured and laughed, ever the energy bubble and all too excited, the inevitable sounded out with a hushed  **Buzz…**

Her face flinched down and her jaw and eyes welded shut from the light punishment, a mere pinch compared to Nick's earlier incident. Honey fell silent for a moment, the raised shoulder on the side with her collar unit slowly lowering down while the three boys looked on silently and sorrowfully. Her now unfocused and suddenly tired eyes, previously darting about with energy, began flicking here and there before dropping down sadly as she began sniffing, breaking the silence. From across the table, Nick could see Honey's eyes begin to glaze over with tears as Benjamin Clawhauser got up to silently comfort her, his chubby arms and paws wrapping around her much smaller form while his flabby cheek gently rubbed against hers.

"Hey… hey… Honeybun…" Nick began to say softly, leaning forward with an outstretched paw, ready to comfort Honey too.

"No Slick… leave me alone for a mo'!'" she quietly shot back in what was almost a growl, her mood having suddenly shifted to a carefully tempered anger.

"I got shocked too today… the Jerks ran over my tail…"

"Yeh so…" she meekly lashed out, before burying her head into her paws as she began bawling, tears beginning to flow through her fingers and her words becoming mumbled and hard to decipher… "then we're both… naughty mammals aren't we Slick?"

"You're not naughty Honey," he said, desperately trying to calm Honey down as her collar went once more into the orange.

"I… I am… I am naughty…" Honey began wailing, like a young kit, as even Finnick began to look on with concern.

"Honey Badger!" Nick almost shouted, his concern evident as he leaned forward, his collar warming up into orange.

"Is a… Is a… Bad Mammal!" she replied back between guttural sobs, while her friends' ears drooped down in sorrow.

"No you aren't!" Nick shouted, drawing the stares of all three companions and thankfully pulling Honey out of her nose dive towards another, significantly more painful, shock. He looked into her eyes, his gaze firm and uninterrupted, and spoke firmly, clearly and truthfully with just a small hint of comfort added in, like a father or teacher would do. "Honey, you are the nicest person I know. You are not naughty, not bad, whatever your stinking collar tells you. The only bad mammals are the ones who make you wear it, okay?"

Honey's breakdown slowed somewhat as she looked up and nodded, smiling for a moment before it faded again, as she began fumbling and messing with her collar, shifting it back and forth an up and down. The eager eyes, and spirit, of before still seemed lost, and she looked around for comfort.

"It's like you always say Honey," Clawhauser said, his arms still hugging her and his eyes turning to meet hers. "The only bad mammals are those pesky sheep."

Honey paused for a second, before launching herself back at the rotund cheetah. As her metal chair skidded away, she embraced him and snuggled up into his clothes and fur, her head half burying itself in his flab and fat. As Clawhauser stroked her head and mumbled soft 'there there's', the size difference meaning his warm paw cupped around her head like a helmet, she breathed in his comforting scent with a deep breath before relaxing and smiling.

"Yes…" she quietly said, regaining her composure as her head rubbed some more against the orange fur, "very baaa-d mammals."

As she chuckled and the three others groaned at the joke, a set of coffees came out and they began to drink, finally content that they could enjoy Friday night like normal.

.

"I never asked you Slick…" Honey said, while stuffing her face with a greasy cricket burger. "what's new with you today?"

Nick leant back with a wide, smug grin on his face and glanced at his companions, looking from left to right and back again. "I got Clawhauser and myself that weekend job in Little Rodentia!"

"Chez-E-Cheese?" enquired the cheetah, looking over at Nick.

"One and the same," he shot back, "starts tomorrow at 11:00 sharp."

"Good for you little Bro", harrumphed Finnick, as he finished downing a can of soft drink almost his own size and looked over. "Meanwhile, I'll be lying in and catching my beauty sleep!"

"Not so fast, short stuff," came the smug reply as Finnick turned and scowled, his collar flashing orange.

"What?!"

"I have a hustle planned out for you and Honey to do"

"And when was I consulted?"

"Never."

Finnick growled slightly before smashing his empty can onto his head, flattening it and releasing some of his pent-up rage before his collar could trigger. Sighing, he looked up to Nick and spoke. "Give me the low down."

Nick leapt up onto his chair and merrily straightened his fine tie before speaking out, "Many of the elephant sized ice cream stores sell giant jumbo pops for fifteen dollars. Now, you and Honey can melt those down in Sahara square before refreezing them into medium rodent sized pawpsicles in Tundratown. Sell them at two dollars a pop before flogging the sticks to a rodentian building supplier and BAM. Lotsa money." Nick continued to smile as he brushed his paws together and sat down, looking from friend to friend. Finnick seemed resigned to his fate while Honey was smiling with widening eyes, curiously preoccupied with a magnetic knife and its companion fork. Ben, however, leaned forward.

"Uh… Nick, two points," he said, his voice tinted with concern. "One, isn't it dangerous to go into Tundratown?  
I mean, the polar bear Mafia…"

"The Mafia!?" Nick interrupted, one of his eyebrows pulled up in curiosity. "What kind of problem would they have with us freezing some stuff in a field?"

"I don't know?" Clawhauser replied with a shrug, "but we've all heard the stories, haven't we? About what their Don, Kozlov, does to those who cross his path."

"I heard that an arctic fox who tried to hustle him a single shot of Vodka… a single shot! He got turned into a still!" Honey suddenly piped in, barging into the conversation like a bull into a china shop.

"Doesn't sound so bad," Nick replied with a smug grin, "so how did Kozlov dispatch him? Did he shoot him or…?"

"Alcohol poisoning!" Honey interrupted.

"Still not that bad," Nick shrugged.

"With the fox's vodka…"

"If it's really that bad, then it was that stupid fox's fault for giving it to a mafia boss…"

"No…" Honey groaned, "the vodka from the fox-still… thing. There was a leak."

There was an awkward silence before Nick gave a muted chuckle and pinched the bridge of his muzzle, his eyes rolling up as he grabbed his burger in his paws. "Yes Honeybun, we've all heard the stories about Kozlov… I've also heard that he's father of the year material in private and will do anything to please his son. But I don't think we'll run into any trouble with what we're doing."

"And if we do, we can give him some of the pawpsicles!" Honey eagerly suggested, her fist and a finger raised up and a smile across her snout as she glowed with pride from her idea.

The sarcasm recognition failure at least managed to put a smile on the muzzles of her three friends, before Clawhauser spoke up again.

"So, that's number one. But number two, why do we need all this extra money anyway?" he curiously asked. "Financially we're all fairly OK now."

Finnick and Honey nodded in agreement as Nick merely sighed. "Yes… Now," he began to say bitterly, "but one thing I know about prey mammals is that they'll take every chance… every opportunity… every avenue to make our lives more miserable. We just need to ensure that we're ready for them."

"Ready for what?" Clawhauser asked, "I mean it's not as if the new gazelle tickets will be priced differently for preds and prey. She likes us… she has those cool tiger backup dancers."

"Remember the collars," Nick shot back, his voice sharp and his collar, currently held between his thumb and index finger for emphasis, glowing orange. "First they gave these things out free…" he grumbled. "Then it was means tested, with not so poor families paying some money. Then we all had to pay, but not the full amount. Then it was the full amount. Then it was the full amount plus low rate VAT. Then normal rate. Then LUXURY rate. What next, a collar duty? All for something terrible that parents are forced to buy for their poor ignorant kids and put on them despite knowing how much misery it will cause them."

.

.

-  **In an office, on the other side of town** –

.

The office suite was old, definitely close to two hundred years or so. Rich and fluffy rugs lay on the darkly stained floorboards, the texture on the wood long lost after years of varnishing. Numerous fine paintings were lit up by the daylight, which shone in from the spectral flower garden outside via the huge sash windows on the far wall. In front of a fine mahogany dresser stood a pig. Dressed in stunning clothes, the height of current fashion, Mayor Swinton stood looking at the mirror as she applied her lipstick. Pursing her lips, she sighed a bit as she took the stick off and looked at her visage. The immaculate clothes, the neat and orderly jewellery, her manicured hair, her pink skin and nose free from any blemish. Her proud eyes dulled slightly and she huffed, muttering out three disappointed words. "Still a pig".

To say she despised having her species used as an insult was an understatement. All around her, throughout the city, were the fruits of her entire life's work. All around her lay the neatly ordered and prepared fruits of civilized mammal society. All around her was the evidence the she, and any member of her species, was and could be the ultimate example for what every mammal out there might become. Yet to some bigots, her species was the exact opposite. Dumb, greedy, messy, able to eat anything and everything while enjoying nothing more than a good naked roll in thick, sticky mud full of who knows what (in hindsight, she had to admit that the last point did have a certain… seductiveness to it?). However well she dressed and presented herself, she had heard of the laughter and jokes that poked fun at her kind and, despite knowing better, she was beginning to subconsciously believe them herself.

"Mayor Swinton…" came a cry from behind a wall, its thick Welsh accent stretching out the last syllable of each word while accompanied by the approaching sound of rapid footsteps. The Mayor merely turned and breathed out deeply, bringing a trotter up to her face as she did so.

"I am the captain…" she whispered to herself, eyes closed, trying to steady her resolve.

"Mayor Swinton…"

"Of this ship…"

"I've got news…"

"I must steer her forward…" her whisper hardened with the final word, showing her inner strength.

"About the budgie…"

"And never look back."

The door at the end of the hall burst open and a rather rotund sheep marched through. His fat wool made him a comical waddling sight, with what would have been baggy clothes on any other mammal straining to cover up the great white mass. "I got good news… and I got bad news…" he said. "Which one do you want?"

The mayor grumbled somewhat, before rolling her eyes. "Bad news first please."

"A second chomper has gone savage!"

She oinked at the news, shrugging as she did so. "Well, it's the police's problem if a pred has decided that civilized life is too good for him, not mine," she said with a hint of contempt, dismissing the news with a bored wave, "Next."

"Well, the new railways through Little Rodentia are making some money, although the bank man says we need to give him some more to pay off the interesting loan."

"And that's the good news?" came the mayors indignant reply.

"Well it is uhhh…" He stalled slightly. "I suppose it isn't… There's not lovely, isn't it?"

The Mayor sighed, rolling her eyes as she walked past Woolly, who had resumed his odd habit of eating shredded paper. "Just put a twenty percent duty on tame collars or something…" she idly suggested, waving at her deputy to follow.

"Won't that make them vile chompers not vote for you?" Woolly asked, evidently straining every synapse in his brain to think critically.

"They don't like me already," shot back the Mayor as she strolled out. Straightening her suit and back, her voice and accent rose as if she were about to give a great speech. "But no-one likes them," she continued, her index finger condescendingly upright and waggling. "They're ten percent of the population while rodent sized mammals make up over forty percent. It's cheap and easy to get the little ones on your side, Woolly. No politician can make everyone happy. No captain has an entirely loyal crew. The smart ones like me understand that and make sure that we're consistent when it comes to who's getting the short end of the stick."

Her speech finished as Woolly, absent minded and lost in thought, plodded after her, closing the great wooden doors behind him.

.

.

- **Back at a dingy café** -

.

"They make all the rules, that's the real rip-off." Nick finished, as he glumly returned into his seat and furiously kneaded his tie in his paw with frustration. Shuffling in a bit, he began flicking through the rest of his paper before his brow furrowed and his collar shot to orange.

"Another Fox Away advert?" queried Clawhauser.

"Yup…" Nick replied sarcastically, before standing up in his chair and putting on his most enthusiastic salesman voice. "For just Nineteen bucks ninety-nine, you can buy the full range of Zootopia's no.1 choice in anti-fox products!" he began, his right paw raised and ready to gesture across the screen like a telemarketer. "Fox repellent, guaranteed to give villainous vulpines terrible tinnitus for two to three weeks… Fox Taser, we doubled the legal voltage limit because we care about you! And, last but by no means least, the old favourite… Fox Away spray… wear on yourself to turn up the noses of thieving Todd's and carry as a spray to make any Reynard runny eyed". Nick finished his sincere pitch before smiling and winking, both thumbs up as his voice's sarcasm turned up to eleven. "What enlightened times we live in…"

Their table was quiet for a moment, bar the slowly munching of food, before Honey gave up on disassembling a plastic bottle cap any further and piped in. "Don't worry Nick, that stuff's just made by a whole load of dumb Bunnies."

Nick chuckled, before sighing. "Scared, dumb bunnies who keep plopping out kits and outnumber my kind more and more each day…"

"I mean," Honey enthusiastically continued, "I kept writing to them asking if they could make a sheep repellent, and they came back saying I was craaaazzyyyy!"

The three men sighed, wearily ready to accept the oncoming lecture and too tired to try and protest.

"Cuz' the Sheep are the most vile… dangerous mammals on this earth," Honey continued, hunkering down and firing out her words as fast as she could, her palms outstretched in front of her and moving up and down with each word. "They're the ones who get us to wear these dumb collars, and treat everyone badly…"

Nick, completely disinterested, took apart his newspaper and handed out the sheets. He and Finnick continued reading, oblivious to Honey's rant, while Clawhauser got out a pen and began doing puzzles on the back page.

Honey, meanwhile, was only getting faster and louder. Her arms gestured and shook as she spoke while she stared at each of her friends, oblivious to their behaviour. "Back in the old days… all the sheep ever did was stay in flocks and do the same things as each other. Now they must have had a hive mind, or something or…SWEET CHEESE AND CRACKERS!."

"What?" Finnick asked unenthusiastically, not even moving his eyes from his paper and with no interest in Honey's answer.

"A hive mind… A Hive Mind! This explains it all. All this time, I've been trying to slot the missing pieces together: how they infiltrate the government; how they pigeonhole predators and prey; how their communications and secret societies are never caught… And it's 'cause they never need to send written communication. They're all one mind in multiple bo…JESUS CAPYBARA!"

Honey's sudden revelation shook the three friends from their reading material while Honey's collar, now glowing orange, kept them concerned. Still smiling, she looked down at it and let it drop to green, before looking around and winking. Shushing the other three, she pointed at the device before covering it up.

"Be very quiet, they might hear us," she whispered, her eyes gesturing to the collar. "I have the ultimate proof for this theory. Irrefutable evidence… you guys can't deny it."

"What…?" Nick lazily asked. "Wool circles? Mysterious sheep in black? Pet food unable to melt steel wool?"

Honey merely hunkered down chuckling, before leaning forward and shielding her lips from potential observers. "The plural of sheep…" she whispered, "is sheep!"

"OH EM Goodness," shouted Clawhauser, who stood up wide eyed, his collar orange with his excitement. The sudden outburst drew the others attention, and they fixed their eyes on the now jovial big cat.

"Aaah craaap," Finnick began to drone as he slapped his head with the palm of his hand, "Not you as well."

"Gazelle is planning a new album!" the cheetah jovially replied, grinning as he looked about.

"Let's just pay our bill and go home," Nick wearily suggested as he finished his food, rolling his eyes as he grabbed out a note and slammed it on the table. The others nodded and contributed their share too, before getting up and walking off together.

.

"Hey Bro," Finnick said, looking up at his companion as they walked home. "This hustle tomorrow… how do you plan to get an elephant ice cream store to sell Honey and I a Jumbo pop?"

"They won't," Nick clarified. "They'll sell Nick and Finnick a Jumbo pop."

"Wha… You and I! Two foxes rather than one, one of whom is a red-un! That'd make it less likely idiot!"

"Well Finn, we all know how dumb prey are. But while they might not know the difference between a red fox and a fennec, they'll know the difference between a badger and you."

"What on earth you talkin' about Nick. Did you forget your brain back at the…" Finnick paused as he looked up at Nick, a smug grin and wide eyes betraying the latter's mood. "No…" Finnick tried to say stoically, only for his collar to immediately flash orange and his voice hitch up somewhat, actually sounding scared for a moment.

"And I mean, it allows me to show off one of my greatest creations to the entire city…"

"Please, no…"

"Come on," Nick teased, "It's been ages since I saw Mr Toot Toot…"

"AH, HELL NO…" Finnick screamed, followed a second later by a familiar  **Zap**.


	3. Chapter 3

" _Mr. Multicultural sees all that one can see,_

_He's living proof of someone very different to me."_

.

**Chapter 3:**

.

The warm sunlight bathed down on Savannah central as the two foxes walked along. The shops in central Sahara square had all turned them down or thrown them out, apart from the single pred owned shop (run by a pair of lovely barbary lions) which was annoyingly out of stock. Checking his watch, Nick grumbled as he saw the time creep up to ten AM. He had already spent one hour fruitlessly, and only had thirty minutes until he had to speed off to Little Rodentia and meet Clawhauser at Chez-E-Cheese.

Rather than his formal and semi-formal suit, or his scruffy work clothes, the larger fox wore a loose pair of tan trousers and his favourite green Pawaiian shirt. As always, a blue and purple tie, sewn together with golden thread, hung around his neck. Today's heat and outfit meant that he wore it loose, which, combined with his dark sunglasses, gave him a relaxed, smart-casual appearance.

"I feel completely humiliated…"

Nick's ears perked up at the comment and, smiling as he did so, he looked down at Finnick who was toddling along beside him. The 'Mr Toot-Toot' suit was indeed one of Nick's finest creations, a kit sized elephant onesie complete with a pink heart sewn on and a tooter in the fake trunk. He'd made it long ago for Finnick to wear as a forfeit for losing one of his many, many, stupid bets. It was also thanks to one of those many stupid bets that Finnick was feeling especially humiliated on this day in particular, the dummy currently held in his paw being but the tip of the iceberg.

"I must admit Finnick," Nick warmly said as a smug grin grew across his face, Finnick remaining emotionless. "You pulled off the stops last night. I swear you must have called each and every maned wolf in the city! And you know what? They're great guys and gals, and it would be a privilege for me to dress up and pretend to be their elephant loving son!" As Nick finished swooning, taking his paw off his heart and giving a set of exaggerated eyebrow flutters instead, Finnick looked away and began grumbling to himself. "But sadly," Nick continued in a forlorn tone, "it was not to be. They all said no, and that means you have to pay the forfeit which you signed yourself…"

Finnick looked down, his snout curling up into a snarl as his companion continued.

"And, true to your word, you did and are doing so."

Finnick's collar beeped up to orange as his fists curled up, shaking ever so slightly as his humiliation.

"Going full Monty, I mean it can only help the con…"

Finnick halted, his feet planted firmly in the sidewalk as he breathed in and out, trying to calm his simmering fury before he paid for it. His gaze only lifted from the concrete when Nick turned to look at him, an infuriatingly smug grin growing on his muzzle. However, before he could so much as whisper, Finnick spoke his mind, his words coming out as a spiteful growl laced with contempt.

"Why don't you just go the full hog and haul me around by my scruff!"

.

_Beep…_

.

Finnick paused, his collar still hovering in the orange warning level, as he looked up at Nick above him and his eyes widened. The larger fox's smug expression was gone, replaced with a shocked look and an orange collar. Finnick, his eyes now squinting in confusion and collar cooling down to green, spoke out quietly in concern.

"Hey Slick… Little Bro?"

Nick knelt down, his sad face just above Finnick but his eyes pointed to the side and avoiding contact. "Finn," he slowly began, "I wouldn't dare grab my own child by the scruff once he was this side of three… What do you think I am? A monster? I would never, not in a million years, pick up an adult, yet alone my big bro, by his scruff."

The Fennec's eyes were wide open as Nick began to stand back up, a small smile growing on his muzzle. A similar one grew on Nick as he stood up and began walking on, giving some sage advice as he went on.

"Your father, bless his crazy old soul, taught you three foreign languages. If you're feeling frustrated and want to chain swear, at least two of them will sound like baby-talk to most folk around town."

Finnick gave a cunning little chuckle, the bizarre sound causing Nick to pause and turn around, a dangerously smug grin growing across his mouth as his sarcastic nature returned with full force. "Come on cutie pie," he cooed, "put your dummy back in and no more tantrums. Daddy needs to buy you a birthday icelolly…"

And with that, the usual scowl returned to Finnick's muzzle as the pair, led by Nick, carried on down the street. His usual confident gait was sullied somewhat as what Finnick just said played over in his mind again and again. Before the great evolution many pred species carried their young about by biting the scruff of their neck, paralysing them until it was released. Evolution hadn't removed that reflex, and to this day carrying baby kits or cubs by their scruff, either held by the parent's mouth or paws, was still common. But carrying an older child, or even a full-blown adult... it was the ultimate taboo for the affected species. Not only did you completely lose control of all your muscles and mouth, essentially becoming nothing but a completely helpless ragdoll until you were let go, ending the horrific violation. It was also the epitome of babyhood, it was like being burped, breastfed or changed. Whether by a stranger, a (soon to be former) friend or a parent, Nick couldn't imagine the humiliation and fear he would feel if it were done in complete privacy. And in public… the mere thought made him shudder to the bone. Finnick didn't need to imagine, but they never ever talked about that. Wandering on and still lost in thought, Nick grabbed his jet-black aviator sunglasses from the top of his head, vital in keeping his sensitive eyes safe in Sahara square, and folded them up as they approached the next mark. As he slipped them into his pocket, a loud horn finally shook Nick back into focus.

"Watch where you're going, FOX!" came the voice, the last (seemingly innocuous) words spat out with venom and spite, representing hundreds of cruel prejudices held by the general population.

Nick looked up to see an angry ram, impatiently waiting to exit the alley his van was parked in. Evidently in a bad mood, his strange eyes glared accusingly at Nick who merely shrugged and gestured defensively with his arms before moving on. The next target was up ahead, a large traditional Elephant Ice cream store frequented by many of the biggest mammals who lived in the area. While ten in the morning was very early for ice-cream, the number of large mammals who could and would operate on a nocturnal body clock was surprisingly high, large enough for such a store to be worth opening at this hour.

Nick glanced around as the door was opened, defensively scanning for any particularly nasty mammals that might be about (spotting no-one but a bunny meter maid looking on from the other side of the street), before grabbing his partner and running through the massive door before it fully shut. Stepping inside the cool air of the store, Nick joined the queue and looked down at his charge, who was standing there ready for yet another attempt.

.

As the queue shortened, Nick's nose suddenly twitched as it picked up a faint but familiar smell. Fox-Away, a vile concoction of pepper, irritants and various other foul hormones. Finnick had smelt it too and was peering back, likely trying to mollify whichever bigot was about to ruin their day with his cuteness. Looking forward, Nick's gaze came to rest on the chrome of the freezer, showing a perfect reflection of the scene behind him. By the door stood a bunny, the meter maid he had seen earlier. She was oddly familiar, grey furred and smaller than Nick but larger than Finnick. She leant to one side, sneaking around a Hippo while her paws hovered over the waiting canister. The orange of her vest complimented the red of the large fox Taser holstered on the other side of her belt (or at least did through Nick's R-G colour blind eyes) and she was looking on, just waiting for him to step out of line. Keeping his eye on her as he moved forward, Nick saw her train her eyes on his back before a voice snapped away his attention.

"What do you want?" came the aggressive voice of the store owner, a large Elephant peering down on Nick from above. "I don't want any troublesome business in my store".

"Nothing… I'm not looking for trouble," Nick replied in his most sincere voice. "I simply want to buy a Jumbo pop for my boy." Nick's ears pricked as he heard a soft  _Awww_  in the background and glanced back at the reflection in the metal. Behind him, the bigoted bunny had seen Finnick and had been successfully pacified. Her Fox-Away back in its holster, she began to turn and leave, a potential complication thankfully removing itself. Turning back to Finnick, Nick smiled and innocently asked, "Which colour would you like, son?"

Finnick responded by waddling over and placing his hand firmly against the glass of the cooler, above a red jumbo pop.

"Aren't there any fox sized establishments in your part of town?" the shop owner, who Nick immediately and silently dubbed 'Mr Tiny Trunk', shot back.

Snapping Nick back to the job at hand, he prepared to play the cute card on Mr Tiny Trunk too. "Well there are _,_ but my boy… this goofy little stinker, he loves all things Elephant, wants to be one when he grows up."

Finnick grabbed the hood of his costume and pulled it down, folding his ears beneath the grey fabric and letting the fake trunk hang beneath his muzzle. A quick blow sent air down the tube and through the squeaker at the end, adding to the indescribable cuteness. The small but rapid twitching of Finnick's eye, however, told Nick how much he was resenting this and how well he was keeping the anger bottled down. For once, Nick wouldn't dare aggravate him. If he got too angry and his hidden collar beeped a warning, then the game was up.

"Isn't that adorable, I can't say no to that face," Nick said dotingly, eyes wide and smiling at the Elephant. "Can you say no to that face?"

Mr Tiny Trunk was unimpressed, "Listen, I don't know if you can read this sign…"

_OK, really not cool mate,_ Nick thought as Mr Ludicrously Tiny Trunk grabbed and plopped down a neatly written sign on the counter.

"But we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, so beat it chomper, I've got other customers waiting."

Nick tried to stall, find a final vain attempt to get service, as a customer behind him impatiently walked forward and bumped him in the back.

"You heard him. You're holding up the queue chomper!" she spoke angrily.

Registering another defeat, Nick grabbed Finnick and began to turn and leave, before a strange voice came to his rescue.

"Excuse me?" came the grey bunny, who Nick realised must have not left and instead seen the whole exchange.

"Whaaat now, Meter Maid?" Mr Permanently Floppy and Tiny Trunk spoke out, evidently frustrated by the whole ordeal.

"Firstly, I'm a cop," she said in an annoyed tone. "Secondly, do your customers know that they're getting snot and mucus in their ice-cream?"

A loud sneeze caught Nicks attention and, looking forward, he saw that several customers had sneezed out their frozen treat in disgust. The bunny, still talking, walked forward until she was in front of Nick.

"It's just that handling food with an ungloved trunk is a class three health code violation. Now, I could report you and get you to pay a fine, or you could promise to use gloves in the future and serve this nice dad a… what was it?" she said, turning around to face Nick.

Nick knew she had a fox problem with the variety of equipment on her belt, while her scent showed that she was somewhat scared. The backward lean in her posture, the twitching of her nose and wideness of her eyes only confirmed it. ' _Let's see what makes this bunny tick,'_  Nick decided with a flick of an eyelash. "A Jumbo Pop, please" Nick innocently replied, observing how she flinched back slightly as she caught sight of his sharp teeth.

"Fifteen bucks," replied the Elephant, evidently fed up at this point.

"OK, let me just…" Nick said, as he patted down his trousers, passing over his wallet. "Oh no… I forgot my wallet," he said in his most innocent, self-depreciating voice, before chuckling slightly. "I'd lose my head if it wasn't screwed on, that's the truth of it." Peering over, Nick saw Finnick's eyes twinge with pure betrayal as the humiliated Fennec waddled over. Looking down at him, Nick gave a quick wink before continuing, "Sorry Kiddo, no Birthday Jumbo Pop. Say bye-bye to the nice bunny though."

Nick began leading Finnick towards the door while he, in a spot of improvisational genius, was looking back and reaching out for his pop, adding a sad squeak or two for added measure. In the back of his ear, he could hear a note being thrown down, with the instructions 'keep the change'.

.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, what's your name?"

"Nick Wilde."

Out in the warm sunlight, Nick grabbed the Jumbo pop off the rabbit. She still seemed a bit scared, a bit worried, but maybe she was trying to be good for a change? In a city like this, someone at least acknowledging their hatred towards preds and trying to fix it, rather than ignoring it or wearing it like a medal… It was touching. Nick always tried to keep his emotions in check, who wouldn't with a collar around your neck. But he relaxed enough to even let out a quick smile at the bunny who tried. He might just find his wallet and pay her back…

"You know; it drives me mad to see so many people with such a backward attitude to foxes…" she continued.

_'_ _Wait, what?'_  Nick thought, his right eyelid rising and left ear drooping in confusion at that statement. They then fell flat with a scowling annoyance… Another stupid mammal trying to think that a rare act of charity made them a saint, while at the same time carrying enough hardware to evict multiple fox families from their dens. Nick mentally kicked himself for his stupidity, for even considering a prey animal, and a bunny of all things, could at least be trying to make a difference. Outwardly, however, Nick maintained a thin smile and eyes wide in gratitude, all part of the hustle.

"But you seem to be a swell guy and a real articulate fella…." She finished.

_OK, I'll repay that salt in the wound…_  Nick bitterly thought, his thin smile fading while his ears and eyelids sunk from the vile slander against the intelligence of his proud kind.

"Well, that's high praise, and it's rare that I meet someone so non-condescending," he replied, gleefully smug as his insult to her integrity sailed right above her dumb bunny head.

Seeing the change in mood, the bunny nervously chuckled and backed away somewhat, still with a chirpy grin and wide eyes, before she moved her gaze to Finnick. "You want to be an Elephant," she said, smiling as she leaned down towards Finnick, "You be an Elephant, because in Zootopia, anyone can be anything."

With a sickly sweet smile, she stuck a tacky ZPD junior detective sticker on Finnick's pocket, before patting him gently on the head.

"You can't join the ZPD's frontline staff, but there's plenty of other important roles you could do if you wanted. And even if you didn't, there are plenty of ways you can help make Zootopia a better place and protect all the good guys. I mean, if you see any of your fox friends doing something naughty… just tells us and we can make things right."

Nicks snout wrinkled with anger as he watched the scene unfold, a disgustingly proud grin currently plastered on the bunny's face. To see such bare faced hypocrisy… to have actually been touched by this dumb bunny? Nick shook his head slightly, clearing away his anger and any notion that a prey animal could ever feel bad about what they did to his kind. They were the ones who made the damned collars in the first place! Looking down, he smiled smugly, ready to rub her stupidity in her face for one last satisfying time.

"Are you sure you don't want me to pay you back?"

"I'm sure," she said merrily, "see you around!"

"See yah!" Nick replied, smiling as he waved her goodbye and carried the Jumbo pop off on his shoulder. The happy façade immediately dissolved as soon as he faced away from her. Offloading the treat onto Finnick, he grabbed his phone and dialled Honey, arranging a meetup point.

.

.

"You know, I know her…" Nick pondered, as he carried the Jumbopop into a back alley with Finnick in tow. "She was this new bunny cop in the news, valedictorian of her class. And do you know what's funny about officer Carrots?"

Finnick merely stayed quiet, waddling behind in his elephant suit, pacifier still stuck in his mouth. Coming up to the van, Nick leaned the pop against a fairly clean drainpipe before wiggling his shoulders and stretching, attempting to ease out the aches and pains from all the heavy lifting.

"She was in a meter maid uniform… their token, bigoted, hypocritical bunny… stuck in the lowest position in the force!"

Finnick looked up and spat out his pacifier, the plastic hitting Nick squarely in the face.

"Finn, what was…"

"THAT'S FOR MAKING ME THE BABY!" Finnick screamed, as he began hauling off his costume.

"Finn," Nick began, immediately concerned at the anger building in his friend.

"I'M A GROWN MAMMAL, FINNICK FOX!" His shouts got louder as the unmistakable beep of a collar came on. His Elephant costume off, he stood there wearing a cotton baby shirt with paw prints under a pair of blue dungarees. "IT'S DEGRADING TO MY ENTIRE SPECIES!" he yelled, yanking off the denim straps and tearing off the shirt, revealing his sandy chest fur.

"Relax, you're going to buzz yourself…"

"I'M WEARING A DIAPER!" The furious scream coincided with his trousers falling to the floor, leaving him in nothing but the humiliating plastic undergarment beneath, the price he paid for losing his bet last night.

**ZAAAAPPP!**

It was a painful one to be sure. Three seconds long at a decent power, easily enough to send a little Mammal like Finn shaking into an agonising fit on the ground. Nick looked down sorrowfully at his friend, currently lying face down on the floor, sniffing slightly. You would expect him to cry… to bawl and scream considering his outfit. But, getting up onto his hands and knees, the still trembling fox swallowed his pain as he began silently regaining his composure.

"You being a naughty mammal Finn?" came the deep sassy voice of Honey Badger, leaning out of the van window and looking down. "Get inside, we got a job to do."

With that, she opened the side door revealing a full blow baby seat in the back. Finnick, too tired from the shock to protest, merely got up and silently scrabbled into it while Nick loaded the jumbo pop into the back. Nick had seen Finn's eyes and mouth open slightly and tremble, the window into his once dignified and fearsome soul now crushed by the entirety of the day's humiliation. There was even a wet glaze… almost a tear! From Finnick, of all Mammals in Zootopia! After closing the back doors, he strolled forward and looked in at the sullen mammal who was currently strapping himself into his seat.

"Hey Finn…" Nick whispered warmly.

"What, Slick?" came the weary reply.

"That was one big scream there Bro. You almost tore some of my stitching on the toot-toot suit!"

A muted guffaw escaped the desert fox's muzzle as Nick turned to walk away, only to pivot on the spot and turn back, a finger raised in clarification.

" **Almost…** "

Finnick rolled his eyes at the typical Nick response as the red fox slammed the side door shut. As for Nick, it was in his heritage to treat clothing with respect and he didn't want his best friend getting any ideas above his station. But he also sighed with weariness as he knew what was coming next, dealing with another friend in a far less civil manner. He knew that Honey didn't mean to hurt Finn, she never meant to do a lot of things, but despite her tough looks the poor girl wasn't made for Zootopia and often needed a bit help and guidance.

"Honey," Nick said gently, as he walked up to the open driver's window and leaning in.

"I know what you gonna say, Nick," she replied defiantly, not even using his pet name as she readied herself for what she knew was coming. "But little mammals in these cars all go in seats for their safety, so why not Finnick? I don't want the little guy to get hurt!"

Nick groaned slightly, before staring deep into Honey's eyes and strictly lecturing her. "He's legally allowed to drive this van. It's his pride and joy. So, while you're melting that thing down, you say sorry to Finn for the baby seat and let him drive for the rest of the day. Got it?"

"But…." Honey began.

"GOT IT" Nick shot out loudly, almost shouting as he leant into the van and his collar flashed orange.

"I got it. Makes no logic, but I got it" Honey grumbled back meekly, before she fired up the engine and drove off.

Nick sighed, upset that he had to speak in that tone to Honey. It was just that sometimes, he didn't have the time to explain how things worked to her with the patience she needed. Talking about time…

Checking his watch, Nicks eye's widened as he began sprinting towards his fast-approaching shift in Little Rodentia.


	4. Chapter 4

" _If I should fall from grace with god,_

_where no doctor can relieve me."_

.

**Chapter 4:**

.

With ten minutes to spare, Nick reached the edge of Little Rodentia. Set into an old park and surrounded by tall iron fences, the city within a city was home to around a million residents, about half the number as there were predators in the entire city. The politicians knew this too, and outside the town lay multiple diggers and pipe layers at work, the predominantly Beaver workforce busying themselves away with their task at hand as they worked in the newly dug trenches and pits. With mouse gauge trains so small, and the opposite edge of the district less than a mile away, it was cheap and easy to simply push new subway tubes underneath the town and then dig out the stations. Consequently, the region was going to be home to the most extensive public transport system in the whole world in a few short months, with numerous billboards from the mayor's office reminding everyone of just who was behind this…

Nick shrugged and ignored the blatant vote buying as he strolled up to a security gate. Those above a certain size wishing to enter the district had to have a work or visit permit and check in with ID. Wandering up to the gate, Nick nudged his collar around his neck and leant his head to one side, allowing the burly guard nearby to scan it. While all mammals had ID cards, preds had the information stored on their collars as well and, by scanning the ID, the collar could also be examined to check the charge, inspect for any illegal tampering or identify any unreported faults.

"Nicholas Wilde… Collar charge at 100%" the bored Bison muttered, as he read off Nick's details. "No criminal record… amazingly."

_'_ _Thanks, Buffalo Butt…'_

"Work permit for… Chez-E-Cheese… fine, go in."

Nick wandered into the district and, after waiting for a gap in the traffic, he began carefully stepping down the street. Keeping in lane as he tottered along, and closely matching the nearby cars for speed (he had no speedometer, there were speed camera's everywhere and he didn't want a ticket), Nick managed to find his way to the Chez E Cheese branch with minutes to spare.

"Oh, hi Nick, Traffic bad?" Clawhauser enquired, finally noticing that Nick had turned up.

"Yup, awful congestion and every light was against me," Nick shrugged, as he entered the building and changed into work overalls. It was a large (for mice) processing warehouse behind the company's main factory and premier outlet. Cheese that failed to sell in larger supermarkets was brought in by mouse gauge freight trains, with the sizes ranging from that of a mouse's handbag to that of full blown concrete block. With such a size difference, larger mammals had to be brought in to carve it up, with the need to cut off plastic and cut down cheese making those with sharp claws ideal workers. Both getting to work, Nick and Clawhauser grabbed several blocks and, extending their sharp claws from their sheaths, tore off the plastic wrapping. Grabbing a large, hot knife, Nick began cutting the cheese into slices (a very noxious activity, considering it was the new shipment of very ripe stinking bishop) while Clawhauser used his claws to dice it. Each piece was then dropped off into a mincing machine, which spat out hundreds of little cheesy patties ready for sale. When smaller blocks came, Clawhauser would often do the first slice himself, leaving Nick to dice up the produce even more. The work was dull, but it was work and none of them complained as they carried on, the air filled with the sound of the rotund big cats semi-melodic humming. After an hour or so, both their claws began to ache badly at their bases so they retracted them and switched to knives. The sound from the chains flagship restaurant, located next door, rose from a murmur to a continuous set of squeaks and high pitch voices as lunch service rolled on. Dying down a bit at about 4pm, it rebounded with a vengeance as evening service picked up. Finally, at 6pm and with a healthy backlog of cheese in the mincer, a small shrew walked out onto a gantry, level with Clawhauser's eyes.

"Spots? Reynard?" the foreman called out.

"That's Clawhauser sir," "Wilde sir" the two workers politely replied.

"You did good today but don't come in tomorrow," he said in an enthusiastic high pitch voice. "The union says I'm using you to undercut their wages… huh. Anyhow, I've agreed to let them have a go at this tomorrow, so that they'll learn how hopeless they are at it. Same time next weekend?"

"Yes boss," the two predators gratefully replied in unison, before they both stripped off their overalls, opened the door and stepped out onto the street.

.

Nick hadn't given much thought as to how someone as large as Clawhauser would fit into little Rodentia. It turned out he managed, just about, and wobbled along in his lane with his arms out and tail flicking from side to side trying to keep balance. Every now and again, particularly when careering around a sharp turn, he had to plant a hand on a nearby building to steady himself. Most buildings tended to support him just fine, although one with evidently poor foundations tipped over quite precariously. An angry rat poked out of one of its windows to scold the portly cheetah, before chucking a tiny pan at him. It did no damage, of course, merely vanishing into Clawhauser's fluffy orange arm fur where it began to elicit a skin twitching itch. Clawhauser carried on down the street regardless, still using buildings to steady himself here and there, as well as using them as a convenient surface to rub his newly itching fur on, attempting to remove the accursed pan. While he shouldn't laugh at his friend, the comical sight made Nick cheer up a little.

With the way of life in this world, and any adrenaline or excitement ruled out by the collar, a gentle tickle like this could make Nick's day. The late afternoon sun was warm, gently kissing his fur and nose. There was no breeze, so no annoying chill that could permeate his fur and get through to his skin. He even had a nice day off tomorrow where he could sleep in. The comfort of sleeping, good sleeping at least, was something a collar could never take away. And, if what he saw on that little lumber truck going past his feet was what he thought it was, he was about to see a cherry on top.

Up ahead, near the district edge, stood Honey and Finnick (who was awkwardly wearing a stiff wooden popsicle costume, his hands comically sticking out of holes in the sides and the wooden stick above him more than doubling his height). Honey was offloading the last package of the used pawpsicle sticks into a shipping yard, placing them between the bustling rail lines in neatly ordered stacks, ready for later transport to building sites. After receiving a decent remuneration, she stood up and, catching them out of the corner of her eye, waved towards Nick and Clawhauser. Caught behind a red light while the cheetah continued on, Nick smiled and waved back and, as the light turned green and Nick walked forward, Finnick, straining to overcome his costume induced grumpiness, smiled before waving up four left over pawpsicles from the day's sales.

_'_ _You know. This might actually be a nice day,'_ Nick thought, as his body relaxed, ears and tails drooping.

_Beep-Beep…_

"Ah crap!" Nick shouted, as the unmistakable horn of the Gerbil jerks pricked his ears. He spotted them to his left, running the light and shooting for his tail. With a sudden flick, Nick spun his body and jumped slightly, lifting his long abused brush far away from the jerks who merely raced on past harmlessly, cursing in disappointment as they went.

"Ha Haaaaahh…"Nick shouted, laughing at his first victory, or at least avoidance of defeat, at the hands of the spoilt little rodent brats, his orange collar be damned. His excitement was short lived, however, as a second honk sounded out. His foot had landed directly in front of a large (relatively speaking) truck carrying acorns. Swerving, it tipped over violently and spilled its goods all over the junction. Nick spun back, trying to get back in lane, but a stray foot landed on top of a couple of the spilt acorns and shot out backwards from underneath him. Nick registered that he was falling for a moment, as the ground and waiting acorns rose up to fill his view, and then hit the road surface with a thud.

.

"That's me thinking a day could be good for once…" muttered Nick, as he tried to compose himself. Rising up onto his hands and knees, wincing at jolt of searing pain in his neck and the ache from his blurry right eye, he looked back at his throbbing tail to see the jerks driving backwards and forwards across it, giggling as they went before they stopped, suddenly trying to look as innocent as they could. The aching vulpine registered the sound of multiple honks and horns in his ears as well as an odd scratching noise. Before he even had a chance to think, a piece of paper was rudely thrust into his arms.

"What's… this?" he asked wearily, as his left eye focussed in on the traffic violation thrust out in front of him.

"Reckless walking in a size limited district, general inconvenience to traffic, endangerment of rodent lives," came a familiar voice, which then became an annoyed grumble, "and I thought I'd met a good fox."

_'_ _Oh good, it's her,'_ Nick thought sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he looked up at the rabbit cop, her palm currently slapped firm against her face in anger at her own stupidity.

"What about the two Jerks who continually try and run over my tail to set my collar off," Nick grovelled as he rose to his feet. "Who ran a red light, aiming to directly cause harm to me and forcing me to dodge them… causing this whole sorry mess in the first place!"

"I saw the whole thing Mr Wilde; they're taking the lion's share of this one," she said, gesturing down to the jerks' sports car, which was parked nearby as the two occupants nervously twitched their thumbs.

"But you still fined me first, not that I should be surprised… This is Zootopia. Taking the lion's share doesn't mean what you think it does, Carrots"

Nick sarcastically replied as he stood up, his fur now ruffled and filthy from the accident and blowing in the breeze. His right eye was bruised from the acorn it landed on while his neck was cricked from whichever muscle he pulled, painfully cracking as he tried to straighten it, eliciting out a pained groan with each futile effort. Nick now looked down at the bunny, her nose likely twitching from her new nickname.  _Crap_ , he thought. He called a bunny Carrots out loud, a bunny cop no less!

"Listen here, fox," the rabbit impatiently spat out, merely receiving a tired eye roll from Nick as she began lecturing him, her carrot pen pointing out and swishing with every word as if to emphasise the point. "Being a Cop was my dream since forever and I worked twice as hard as anyone else to get here. I was valedictorian of my class, I can knock out Rhinos in hand to hand combat! But the police chief just thinks I'm some token bunny, so he put me on humiliating parking and traffic patrol when I should be capturing all these criminals and savage preds! I have no intention of ending up like old Miss Gertrude over there."

Nick looked to where the bunny was pointing with her pen, and his eyes rested on an aged goat with a zimmer frame who was slowly stumbling on by a line of cars outside the district. He cocked his head in confusion, before realising that she was in a meter maid uniform and slowly ticketing the vehicles. Spotting them in the corner of her eye, she looked towards them and shouted at Judy.

"Keep up the good work Judy, three more decades and I'm sure you'll get to be a supervisor like me!"

Nick merely shrugged with resignation and backed off. Turning, he found his lane again and continued to walk towards his waiting friends. He spotted Clawhauser and Honey, and assumed that Finnick had hid himself in the van in case he incurred the wrath of an overzealous cop with a major sense of humour deficiency. His neck still wincing from the pain of the fall, he quietly decided to ask if they could drop him off at a medical centre for a check-up before he got home.

"And don't you walk away from me…" came the angry voice from behind him.

Nick merely sighed and resigned himself to his fate, before a horrific realisation overcame him. His ears shot up erect, collar beeping up to orange and eyes wide, he panicked slightly and looked down. His hands lunged up and grabbed his tie, holding it up near his eyes for inspection.

"Looked down upon, called 'cute' over and over, never treated with respect, never given the opportunities of bigger mammals…" she muttered in the background, as Nick began scanning the fabric methodically, before loudly sighing with relief when he saw that it was undamaged from the fall. His body relaxing and a relieved smile growing on his muzzle, he held it up and planted a gentle kiss on the two worn golden letters, a J and a W, embroidered on its end.

"Life's unfair. But I'm trying my part. If I can prove myself here by vastly exceeding my targets, I have a chance of moving up to something useful to society," Judy continued in the background, engrossed in herself even more than Honey could be. "Useful to the city, for these rodents, even for you and your son! So maybe you can take one for the team and just accept your fine without all this unnecessary sarcasm, okay?"

"Yes officer," Nick said begrudgingly, before a sly grin grew across his face. "By the way Fluff, you did ticket the two Jerks, didn't you?"

Judy growled angrily, her nose twitching ferociously as she scowled, only for her eyes to suddenly open wide in shock. "Oh no… Oh no…" she began stuttering with alarm, as she turned around and darted down the street. Nick chuckled at his little victory, only to wince in pain from his injury. Stuffing the traffic fine into his pocket, Nick wandered on to the district exit and his waiting companions.


	5. Chapter 5

" _But now he wants to be free,_

_Free so he can see."_

**.  
Chapter 5:**

.

Sitting in nothing but a teal hospital gown, Nick had to admit that there were a few things that the city of Zootopia did right. The first was the job guarantee for predators, one of the few perks of being one. A long time ago, a mayor had argued that jobless predators, more desperate for food and with nothing to occupy them, were a much more serious savage risk.

It was a clever ploy in hindsight, as it gained him the pred hating vote and the pred vote in one fell swoop. The jobs in question, such as his trio's work at Bugburga, didn't pay well and weren't fun but at least they put food on the table. One of the other things was free health care for all citizens, although in reality it would cost you a good chunk of your day thanks to the long queues. Nick had sent his friends on their way while he waited for around three hours for his turn, at least making this trip a comparative bargain.

.

The door opened as the doctor, a middle-aged Armadillo, came in. Struggling to carry a massive cylinder of anaesthetic, he gave Nick a cursory glance and welcome.

"Hello Mr Wilde. I'm your vet, Dr Armadillo."

With a final large grunt, the canister was dropped onto the rack in the wall with a loud clang while the doctor grabbed some documents. Filing through, past Nick's infilled questionnaire, medical details and an X-ray, the doctor pondered slightly before looking up.

"I understand you hurt your neck. We're going to have to go ahead and temporarily remove your collar for the check-up," he said casually, before his tone darkened, "Have you ever had it off?"

Medical professionals, along with the police, were the only members of Zootopian society entrusted with collar keys. The phrase 'key' was a bit of a misnomer seeing as a traditional key could be counterfeited. Instead, the device was a complex barcode-scanner like device that was able to send the correct electronic signals into the collar to open the lock. Removing a collar, however, was very rare outside of major operations and Nick knew no one who'd had theirs off. Nick was slightly curious about what it would feel like, but was too tired at that moment to care that much.

"No, but I got my pants off… and we're all enjoying that," he wearily snarked, gaining a modicum of enjoyment at seeing the Doctor pause for thought as he processed the comment. The Armadillo shook his head and quickly resumed work, wandering off towards a small side room and closing the door behind him. Muffled sounds and thumps, along with the sound of zippers being done up, emanated from it as Nick carried on waiting. Looking around, he saw a medium sized rodent in the corner of the room. The Doctor's assistant, trembling slightly, only retreated further as Nick gave her a half-hearted wave.

"Now, don't worry. We just have to take a few precautions…" reassured the Doctor, stepping out of the closet in what appeared to be full bomb disposal gear and with a collar remover in hand. Nodding to his assistant, he pressed a small button on the wall. The sound of deadbolts clanging, firmly locking all exterior doors shut, was the first thing that Nick heard. This was soon replaced by a humming siren, audibly warning of the impending danger while a series of flashing lights visually complemented it. Main lights out, the room took on a deep blue glow, permeated by the flashing red beams from the warning lights that were mounted on the walls. To top the entire farce off, Nick looked up to see a metal cage lowering above him into a standby position, ready to drop down at a moment's notice. The Doctor gave a quick nod to his assistant, who was standing petrified next to a large red button, and began his advance forward.

"Preparing to remove collar…"

Nick focussed his eyes somewhere in the mid-distance as he ignored the ludicrous patronising. He knew his body; he knew his mind. Just because he wouldn't have a nasty little plastic trinket around his neck didn't mean he would go all savage and crazy.

The key got closer and even the doctor began trembling nervously, while his assistant activated a protective screen in front of her.

"Removing collar…"

A plastic grabber was hooked around Nick's collar as the key finished its approach. He barely registered the click of the button as it beeped. There was the vibration of a small latch unlocking before the device was yanked off by the cowering Doctor, and Nick's neck was unburdened for the first time in decades.

.

.

For something that he didn't feel most of the time, the absence of the collar felt…

Truth be told, Nick couldn't really describe what it felt like. The first thing he felt of course was his matted fur unsticking. Despite twenty-plus years of compaction, his collar fur immediately bounced back into its repressed upright position. Air permeated through the filthy hairs, long denied the right of a good wash to remove the accumulated dust and grime, before hitting his skin. Chafed, worn and irritable from years of remorseless rubbing and shocking, it breathed properly for the first time since Nick was five. The soft breeze made by the Doctor, as he relaxed back up and smiled, caressed it gently like a massage from the best tundra-town spa. There was the weight too, however insignificant the collar really weighed, his neck was used to its load. Now gone however, his spine extended upwards as if it had been an anchor locked around it, making Nick felt taller and more confident than he'd ever done before. Locked together discs cracked and shook, the meshed joints freeing themselves and sending beautiful tremors of ecstasy tingling through his vulpine form.

Smiling slightly, a paw came up to feel around, to scratch and caress, where it had previously been forbidden access. A gently rub against the muscles, tired and stiff from years of crimping and shocking, and they immediately loosened and unknotted themselves. Pain and cramp receded, replaced by an ember glow; the ring around Nick's neck now so soft and warm. Leaning his head to one side, eyes closed and his smile widening in pleasure, Nick gulped slightly and immediately felt his Aslan's apple move up and down freely like nature had intended, the usual bump against tight Nylon fabric practically forgotten. It seemed small, in fact Nick would have never put it on his extensive 'things I hate about the collar' list, but he immediately realised how much he despised the constant inconvenience. There were so many other things Nick imagined, that were so much nicer without his collar. Dressing himself, showering, sleeping, sitting comfortably, bending down… all simple activities which the collar chipped into by rubbing, pinching or even pressing. It made those basic activities harder, more humiliating and of course tainted by the reminder of who he was. What he was. What that meant people believed he was. What society and life would always see and think of him as. As his eyes closed and he drifted into an ecstatic daydream, Nick realised that he knew exactly how he felt.

He felt free.

.

The high sun glowed down on the golden plain as Nick began to run. It was bright yet didn't sting his eyes. It was warm but to not too hot. As Nick ran at full speed, in a comfy shirt, trouser and his tie, without the pain of aching legs, burning throat, cramps or stitch. Pumping legs and surging pulse, the thrill of the race. Nick was happier in that moment than he had ever been in his adult life.

_Free… Free to be Happy… Free to run… No pain… No hurt… Free like when I was a child._

The breeze of the passing wind kept Nick at the perfect temperature, stimulating and invigorating him and making him feel alive. He wanted to jump, he wanted to leap! Leap he did, his head rising above the vast sea of endless swaying grass before dropping back down with a thrilling rush of adrenaline. There was a rustle, and three familiar figures leapt up too, far off in the distance. One yellow with brown spots, one black and white and the final one small and tan with large ears and a familiar white undergarment just above his legs. Nick leapt again and saw them jump once more into the sky before landing back onto the soft dry ground, still flying on beneath him and without a stone in sight to dig into his pads. The grass to his right rustled as he landed, and Nick was joined by his three companions and best friends in this whole world. All naked, bar the diaper Finnick (who was now cradled comfily in Clawhausers arm) wore, they joined Nick just as his own clothes effortlessly peeled off of his body. They were all free now. Free from everything that pulled them down and made them miserable. Free from hurtful and judging eyes that tried and convicted them as bad guys before they were even charged with wrongdoing. They felt brilliant, eyes wide and smiles plastering their faces, even without anything actually lifting them up…

Of course, being Nick's daydream, that minor observation was soon answered back with an even greater fantasy. It hadn't been there before, but it was now. An iron track with four carts waiting. Without hesitation, they all leapt in and rode off on the rollercoaster. Who cared that preds couldn't go on anything more vicious than a merry-go-round without risking a zap? Nick had wanted to go on a rollercoaster all his life and here he was, rising up faster and faster as they reached the crest of the hill. The sky in his vision turned to ground as they dove forwards, stooping down like one of those peregrines from Avaria as the air whipped past them. Permeating through every hair, Nick felt adrenaline, the forbidden opiate of the predator masses, course through his veins. He was terrified…

Terrified and loving every second and every minute. They went down, rattling and shaking, and now they were going up and over… a loop that pressed Nick down into his seat as the world spun around him. Exiting the loop with paws up in the air while screaming with joy, his mind coursed with simple thoughts.  
 **[** This sentence technically sounds a little weird. Taken out of the context one could think that Nick's mind is…well, coursing alongside simple thoughts (whatever that may mean). Unless, of course, this is a well-known not-literal phrase that I don't know about. In case it isn't, I'D say it should either be "…joy, #simple thoughts coursed THROUGH his mind#" or "…joy, his mind WAS BRIMMING with simple thoughts" or something similar **]**  
This is joy… this is excitement… this is fantastic… this is life… freedom… how it was meant to be! Every care and every pain, all the humiliation and sadness was gone! There was only joy, pure joy as they peaked the hill and dove, leaving nothing but Finnick's last piece of clothing floating in the wind.

.

Clip…  _hummmm_ …

"There you go, just a bruise…"

Eyes open, Nick paused to look around. His face was still contorted with pure joy, while his hands were stretched out above him. The Doctor seemed to not care, merely busying his time with some paperwork while his assistant looked at him like a piece for study. Pausing to think, Nick gulped and felt his voice-box bump into something. His bright eyes and outstretched arms folded back in as the weight, the discomfort, the clamminess and rubbing… it all came back and that minute of ecstasy stormed off into the far distance of his past. Desperate to cling to at least some of the warm embers remaining, Nick leant again and began rubbing his neck, massaging the muscles once more as he vainly attempted to re-summon the fantasy.

"Can you just give me five more seconds of this?" he pleaded, looking up with puppy dog eyes at the passing Doctor.

The Armadillo merely gave a mildly amused chuckle at the ludicrous notion before continuing his work, "If I had a dollar for every time a predator has said that!"

Nick sighed, his massages only tugging his collar more and more and pushing his dream further away. It was like he was getting used to every bad thing about the collar all over again, all in one sudden go. The joy was gone… only replaced by sadness.

This was the rest of his life…

"Yeh," Nick attempted to joke, trying to restart the conversation to distract himself from the oncoming wave of depression. It failed, and his head dropped down, eyes losing their energy as he muttered out the punchline. "You'd be the richest mammal in Zootopia."

_The richest mammal in Zootopia…_

Nick's eyes darted open, as the spark of the idea lit a fire in his heart. It was insane.

Ludicrous.

Madness that he especially should recognise…

But he had an iron will now and, being a fox, he was certain that he'd be able to come up with a plan to sneak in a way. There was something that he could do, something that would not only allow him and his friends to never worry about bringing food to the table again but would actually give them a shot at real happiness. Something that would give him, and all other predators, a reason to live. Thanking the doctor and donning his clothes again, Nick set off to see whether he really had a chance at this. If so, he'd then expand and note out his plans into a great big freshly prepared platter of ideas, ready to serve piping hot to his friends.


	6. Chapter 6

_"Will you join in our crusade,_

_who will be strong and stand with me?"_

.

**Chapter 6:**

.

The scheming mind of slick Nick was running in overdrive that night. Fuelled by the power of his natural, nocturnal, circadian rhythm (and a few cups of strong coffee to boot) he began searching, piecing together the errant ideas that drifted into his mind into a cohesive thought.

.

It was close to midnight when he checked into the Zootopia main library with a notebook and pen in his hand. Passing by the rows of student mammals doing all-nighters, Nick wandered towards a capybara assistant who was just packing up.

"Hello Ma'am."

She pulled back a bit, eyes widening as she registered the incredibly scruffy Fox, his fur chaotically ruffled up and filthy while his face sported a black eye to boot, who had just entered. Nick was polite enough to wait for her reply, although why he expected anything polite in return he didn't know.

"Pred homeless shelter is located ten blocks to the north Fox."

_'_ _Always 'FOX', never Mr or Sir…'_

Nick buried his thoughts, instead merely giving a sickly smile and replying with the utmost courtesy. "With respect Ma'am, I'm looking for books on medical law and practice. Do you know where those would be located?"

Huffing and moving towards him, the librarian mumbled a grumpy answer back. "Are you sure you don't want any of our young adult fiction? We also have some good graphic novels."

"I know what I want," Nick scowled as he got annoyed. He stretched his body up and straightened his tie, carefully adjusting it before returning his hands to his hips. "Could you please direct me to it? Or, of course, I could ask management about the novel where a librarian who is evidently deaf gets fired."

She sighed slightly, before looking at Nick like he was some freak and quietly spitting out a response in revulsion. "I don't know why you're finding it so embarrassing, considering how the female of your species acts, but the adult section is in the basement."

 _OK, that was seriously uncalled for_ … the angry thought was accompanied by narrow eyes, flat ears, a beep and an orange light.

"Firstly Ma'am, us Foxes mate for life and have one of the lowest divorce rates in the city. I'm sure that if you ever bothered to read one of these many books you'd understand that," Nick casually responded, idly gesturing around at the stored tomes around him, before his tone hardened. "Secondly, I know what I want. I'm sorry if it interferes with your lovely worldview of you being better than me, but can you direct me to books on medical law and practice?"

Her face scowled with anger as she scanned Nick from head to toe like he was some freak of nature, before she shouted back "I suppose you want to check over some scam or something beforehand? Good thing everyone knows not to trust you conniving Foxes."

_I suppose I can't fault her for being suspicious…_

"I assure you, I have the sincerest and most honourable intentions," Nick innocently replied. "Such as silence in the library among others."

"You lying, FOX?"

"I swear by my father, and my mother, that I am telling the truth and nothing but the truth."

_Just not the whole truth._

"Fine…" she mumbled, "third floor. Under 613 or 619…"

Nick walked past her and up to the area in question, the aged smell of old paper flowing up his nostrils and tickling them warmly with its musty scent. Peering around the dusty rows of shelving, he found a set of medical law books and gathered them up, before his eyes glanced at something and widened with awe. Quickly grabbing a small booklet _, 'Medical code of practice and advice for uncollaring preds'_ , he sat down at a nearby table and begin flicking through, taking notes on a large flipbook. Speeding up, a grin began growing across his face and his collar shot up to orange. Flicking a final page, Nick's eyes shot open, while his mouth widened into a huge grin, as his excitement elicited a sudden  **Zap!**...

Nick winced slightly, nurturing his neck, as the scowling librarian came over and gave him a very loud shush. Waving back apologetically, he saw the librarian leave, but not without giving him a very clear 'I'm watching you' hand signal. Nick jotted down a few more notes on his pad, before picking it up and wandering out, leaving the now very irritated librarian to put all the books back.

.

Cutting through an old mall, ghostly and abandoned as the last dregs of the daytime crowd left for home, Nick peered in at a closed video arcade that had seen better days. Through the dusty metal shutters, Nick could see the 'closing down' signs plastered across the grimy windows. He also spotted a small piece of paper at the bottom.

_'Stock for sale at prices, enquire within.'_

Nick's pen and paper flashed out, and an address was scribbled down.

.

Scanning through a website on his phone, Nick's eyes hovered over the apply now button, before he turned the device off and looked up. He was in the sky tram that travelled across the western river, slowly moving above and past the shimmering reflections of the city lights in the water. As the shadow of his cabin rose above the horizontal towers, Nick's eyes focussed forwards onto the abandoned docks and canning factories located below him. In times gone by, fish were the main source of protein for preds along with insects. However, a successful environmentalist had run for mayor two decades ago, railing against the 'remorseless plunder of the seas' and 'mass murder of fish'. Once he'd won, he'd massively curtailed the once proud fleet, putting thousands of preds out of work in the process. Of course, the majority of mammals had all agreed with the notion and no one batted an eyelid, chiding the unlucky chompers about how they should be more responsible and accept democracy in action. Nick merely shrugged at the history lesson, considering how he'd seen it ruin livelihoods with his own eyes, before focussing back on the task at hand.

Looking down, Nick's eyes laid upon a large warehouse next door to a set of factories, likely built and finished just before said laws were passed. The metal roof seemed solid and in good shape, it was well located with nearby transport links while, at the same time, parked in the middle of an abandoned industrial zone. To top it all off, an abandoned fast food outlet with its own large carpark sat neatly on the cliff above it, a perfect front for the real operation. Exiting the tram, Nick skulked down to the quayside and read the small estate agents sign that had been hammered to a rusting iron post. It was cheap… incredibly cheap. Sneaking up to the chained double doors of the huge structure and peeking inside, Nick scanned the vast internal hall. It seemed far smaller on the outside, with the cavernous interior receding back into the gloomy darkness. Small windows in the arched roof let in the gentle lights of the moon and city, which illuminated the supporting truss work of the roof and the odd bit of debris on the floor. With the doors open, the odd sound permeated into the hall before echoing back and forth while slowly fading into nothingness. Looking closer, Nick noticed that the floor was flat, all solid cast concrete with the exception of a large water filled pit at one side, likely designed to keep fresh fish alive while any backlog was processed. Nick closed the doors and walked back along the quay smiling, it was perfect.

.

The late-night screams were just quietening down at 'Hammy hams' amusement park. While it didn't bar preds, there was no point going to a place whose adrenaline filled rides would scare you into a shock. Sure, there were rides for preds, but the most fun you got was a dinky cart that slowly trundled along a tiny little path. It was so boring that one rider had a book held out in his paws and was reading it intently as if he were sitting in a chair back at home. Sneaking past the lines of tipsy teens and twenty somethings walking out, Nick skulked out around the back of the park before climbing a tree. Peeking over, he glanced down at the stocking yard where goods, materials and waste were brought in and out of the business. In the distance, several new mega-rides were being built, cranes standing quiet and still for the night. The rides that they replaced, however, lay disassembled in the yard between cargo trucks and forklifts. The largest, left out disassembled, broken and forlorn, was an old mass manufactured coaster that would often pop up at fairgrounds and circuses that toured the wider country. Despite being meekly shielded from the elements in a scruffy tarp, Nick could still make out the form of the main hill, several banks and twists, the carts and what was most definitely a loop. Opening his folder, Nick jotted down a phone number before moving on.

.

Passing through the streets back to a subway, Nick paused to survey his notes. His ears picked up as he heard the sound of a mammal walking cautiously behind him, moments before he was knocked forwards and thrown over, a large weight landing painfully on top of him.

"Oh goodness, sorry, sorry! Please don't hurt me…" came the gruff voice, as Nick looked up to see a grey timber wolf lying above him. The wolf shuffled off of Nick and began fumbling around on his hands and knees, his gazed fixed directly on the concrete pavement beneath him.

"You haven't seen my glasses, have you?" he asked nervously, "I really need them tonight."

Nick looked forward and saw the jet-black shades, even darker than his aviators. "There," he directed, pointing them out.

"Thanks," replied the larger canid as he walked over to retrieve them. However, on his way over, his eyes glanced up and then froze transfixed. Shaking, he grabbed his muzzle with his paw and tried desperately to hold it shut, all the while attempting to pull his transfixed face back down. He couldn't, however, and despite his straining arms best efforts his head rose, and then jolted, upwards, its gaze fixed onto the yellow full moon that hung serenely above the street. He grabbed his collar and winced, knowing full well the pain he was about to receive, before his mind crumbled against the force of instinct and he howled out.

 _'Awoooo…._ '

As the mournful cry permeated the night, Nick saw an orange light appear beneath the wolf's hands and, grabbing the fallen glasses, he ran towards his lupine cousin, ready to help the big dumb-dumb in his hour of need.

' _A… A… Awooo!_ '

Nick leapt up and, clambering over his shoulders and head, threw the glasses onto the wolf's eyes. His head, strained up and trembling as it waited eagerly to give another howl, stayed still as its owner tried to bring it under control, before it finally came back down. The wolf sighed, his body relaxing as he turned down to look Nick in the eyes (only to miss and fix his gaze several feet to the fox's right).

"Thanks mate… What a night to get the late shift, huh. Damn, though, those howls really felt awesome," he said, the final sentence sadly fading off into nothing.

"Sounded awesome too," Nick replied with a chuckle before waving him off. As the wolf blindly stumbled off down the road, Nick grabbed his notes and opened them, before writing down a few extra ideas.

.

Nick spent the rest of the small hours jotting down ideas, notes, figures and a myriad of scribbly drawings. Time seemed to fly as the first lights of dawn hit the small nocturnal café he was sitting in and, with a yawn, he got up and left. Hugging his precious notes close to his body, he wandered down the street and was surprised to see officer Carrots once more. It was only a glance across his shoulder, but there she was trying to argue with a lion about a ticket.

"Poor, dumb, naïve creature," Nick commented, as he turned his head away. "That dumb bunny's really going to do him a number…"

Behind him the lion, getting increasingly agitated (but surprisingly calm given his green collar, maybe he was just loud), made his mistake as he leant forward, mouth open. Even Nick would be terrified looking in to a lion's gaping jaw, but the bunny remained surprisingly calm as she grabbed out a small police issue remote and held it up. The lion paused for a moment, shrugging to himself.

"You really think that they would give a dumb meter maid a real collar remote? That's one of those fakes I've seen about, isn't it! Just hop off and cry bunny cop!"

Fear didn't provoke Judy into using her collar remote, but anger certainly would have. The Lion was right in that she had been bluffing, yielding a fake prison issue remote as an intimidation tactic. If he hadn't been he'd have looked rather stupid when he snatched it from her paws and pressed the button repeatedly, smugly smiling as each press did nothing. But stepping back, the Lion tested his luck again and lunged forward thinking he could win at the little game of chicken. Judy flinched back, before leaping forwards with her feet sailing in front of her. They slammed into his nose with a sickening thud, sending him stumbling back before he tripped over and landed on his rear end. Face contorting with rage, he let out a full volume roar at Judy (who stood, standing firm as her ears were blown behind her) before a  **Buzz…**  shut him up. The sound echoed out from behind Nick, before it was followed by a smug boast from Judy.

"Valedictorian of my class! You should see me take down Rhinos! Now, about that ticket…"

As he caught his bus to the rainforest district, Nick looked back to see the humiliated lion making a quick apology to the meter maid. He chuckled to himself, rolling his eyes and quietly thanking his non-confrontation nature for saving himself from a potential fight with…  _that_.

.

.

"…and I said back, you'd be the richest mammal in of all Zootopia… and that was my eureka moment…"

Nick was in the kitchen of Honey's rainforest district house. It was dry, at least, a reassuring observation given the continuous deluge of rain falling down outside. The consistent pitter-patter of the torrent on the leaves, roofs and walkways created a cacophony of sound that overwhelmed the regular noise of city life and poured through the open windows, before echoing around the barebones kitchen. It mixed in with the various domestic sounds, such as the whistling of a kettle; the munching of mouths; the ticking of a clock and the jangling of keys in the hands of a disinterested honey badger, creating an almost cosy soundtrack. Huddling around a crowded table, the gang of four were nursing early morning coffee and eating up some honey on toast as they mulled over Nick's recent life changing experience.

"So let me get this straight Nick," Finnick began, his deep voice oddly aggressive. "You come in here sayin' that you have the 'ultimate hustle'. One that's legal…"

"Legally unfriendly, but still legal. If it weren't, I wouldn't dare mess with this stuff," Nick carefully clarified.

"Yeh, yeh, whatever!" the smaller fox continued. "And you say that it came to you when you had your collar off. You tripped off into some sort of utopian daydream where we were all running free through fields… sort of like spirit animals or whatever, before getting on this massive roller coaster."

"That's literally all I just said Finn: collar, dream, wild spirit animals, rollercoaster!"

"There's just one thing I don't get," Finnick responded with a slightly less caustic voice, his collar turning up to orange being the only sign that this was the lull before the storm. Nick looked on curiously, right eye squinting while his head and ears tilted in the same direction.

"WHY MY FREE SPIRIT ANIMAL WAS IN A DIAPER…"

**ZAPP!**

Finnick shook as he held firm through the convulsions, though the coffee mug in his paw spilt and splattered all over the tatty and torn plastic table. As Honey sighed, put down her keys and grabbed some kitchen roll, Finnick looked up again malevolently.

Nick sighed, shrugged and the spoke sincerely, "I apologise for my subconscious imagining your free spirit as an adorable, huggable bundle of fluff."

"Good!" Finnick barked back, "I'm the oldest one here. I deserve respect!"

"You do…" Nick replied, before chuckling. "But it would be a great disrespect to not mention how indescribably cute you are! Something only magnified with the use of thick and absorbent plastic padding. Even without that though, sometimes I just don't know how I can resist hugging you."

"Because, if you hug me Wilde… I'll bite your face off!"

"Yes, I know. Eight years living in your house taught me that very well Finn."

"Good thing little bro," the little mammal replied back, almost cheerily, as he gave a soft punch to Nick's arm. The conversation was silent for a moment, only the sound of rain, feeding mammals and jangling metal in the air.

.

"So Nick, what is your plan?" Clawhauser suddenly asked after a short while, in between stuffing his face with handfuls of his favourite lucky chomps cereal.

Nick paused for a second, blinking several times as he drew back to where the conversation had diverged, before continuing enthusiastically, "Yes, yes, of course! Well, I was thinking, we could legally take off pred's collars!"

"Legally, how?" asked the now curious Honey, as she put down the keys she'd been fidgeting and jangling with all morning and fixed her gaze on him.

"Well," Nick began, smiling smugly as he drew his hands together in front of him as if he was praying, ready to point them forward with each key point. "The law states that medical professionals can take off predator's collars, but it doesn't say what predators can do with them off! As long as they don't leave the building they're fine!"

"So, what was with the cage and stuff then?" She asked, left eye widening and right squinting at the confusing report so far.

"Well, one: prey are dumb scared mammals who can only quell their inferiority complex by making our lives miserable. Two: the law states that a doctor is liable for both negligence if a savage pred escapes… about twenty years of jail time min, and liable for any damage caused. But of course, we all know that savagery is a myth so who cares!"

Clawhauser and Finnick nodded in agreement but Honey shook her head vigorously before piping up. "You say this stuff is a myth but we had two savage cases in the last few days!"

Nick backed off, before scowling. "So, who cares? These are the first cases in what, living memory? Recorded memory? They never mentioned anything about savage mammals in school and you know what they do to justify these things!" Nick said angrily, grabbing his orange collar and shaking it about. "These are the first mammals in history to go savage and they went so with their collars on! The chances are, they ate something bad or something messed up their brain. If they were prey, they wouldn't even make the papers."

Honey still looked on confused, part unimpressed and part lost in thought until her eyes opened up with a sudden realisation. "Or, the sheep drugged them," she chided in loudly, as she leant forward eagerly, ready to take the control of the conversation.

"Honey," Finnick sighed, "why would the sheep go around drugging preds?"

"Why wouldn't they?" she asked back, genuinely curious as she opened out her hands to her side.

"… Name a reason why the 'sheep' would make preds savage."

"Name a reason why sheep wouldn't make preds savage."

"Because they have no reason for us to be savage."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know!"

As the heated conversation sped up, Nick and Clawhauser's heads darted from left to right, trying to follow the fast-paced argument as if it were an exciting tennis match. Clawhauser was so engrossed, his mouth absentmindedly hung open, milk drooling down his chin and spattering onto the table unnoticed by the others.

"Know what?" Honey continued, desperately.

"What?"

"What do you know?"

"I know that the sheep have no…"

"What do you know about the sheep knowing?" Honey interrupted suddenly, eyes wide and collar orange.

"Sheep knowing what?" Finnick incredulously replied.

"You know about the sheep, and you know what the sheep know. No?"

"No!"

"But how do I know that you don't know about what they know? Maybe you do know what they know, but have no reason for me to know as you know that they will then know about me knowing!"

"I know nothing about the sheep knowing!" Finnick shouted back, collar now orange too. "Just that I know, that the sheep have no reason to dart us!"

Honey hesitated, her eyes darting sideways for a second before she slowly and quietly resumed speaking. "No…"

"No!" Finnick yelled as he got up onto the table and walked defiantly towards Honey, his collar beeping up to orange as he did so. "No no, no, no! NO! NO! Nooooo!"

Honey opened her mouth, but was cut off by a final "Nope!" and an accusing finger point from Finnick.

She paused, before meekly shrinking back into her seat and looking at Finnick, before quietly speaking. "Apparently, Finn, it's bad manners to stand on a table…"

Finnick merely chuckled before turning and hopping back down to his seat. "Listen Honeybun, if it is a sheep causing these savage cases, then I'll let you hang me in a baby angel costume, diapers and all, by my scruff, for ten hours, with a livestream going to Zootube!"

"Finn?" Nick warmly asked. "Is that one of your stupid bets?"

"Sure, why not?" the fennec replied. "I won't even ask for Honey to bet anything in return, although if she'd stop mentioning sheep for a year…"

"Fine by me," the honey badger replied.

"She won't last a month Finn," Nick joked, only for Finnick to joke back some more.

"I'm expecting her to last just over a week tops, but WHAT A WEEK! Seven days of bliss here we come," he eagerly announced, his collar orange with excitement. "Write it down Ben!"

The cheetah smiled as he brought out a pen and paper and began intently scribbling down the wager. There was a moment of quiet, before Nick eagerly broke the silence. "Well, that was fun. But we have a three to one majority on this savage stuff being complete buggaloney. That means it's safe for us to open up a business where fellow pred's get to remove their collar for a short period of time and enjoy themselves! And boy, will they enjoy themselves with what I have planned."

"There's one slight hitch Slick," Honey piped in glumly. "I got the best grades in my class, but the sheep didn't let me join medical school! Called me crazy and stuff back then, and that was before I got wind of their schemes and such. I doubt they'd let me in now, given that I'm onto them. My sister did get in, but I really don't think she'd be down with this whole collar thing and I don't like the idea of beggin' on my paws to her. And you guys… If I couldn't get in with my grades, neither could you."

Nick merely chuckled, before handing out a brochure. Clawhauser, who'd passed the wager slip to Finnick for signing, picked it up and began scanning through before speaking up, "Zootopia Online University of the Arts?"

"Yep, the fine and mighty Zouota!" the red fox proudly replied. "One hundred and one online courses, no entry grade requirements or interviews… and look down near the bottom."

"Veterinary medicine…" the cheetah nervously continued, "Nick, no establishment would take this degree seriously!"

"They don't have to," Nick chuckled back, "all that matters is that we get the code to apply for a collar remover! Perfectly legal, no way it can be called theft and, as the process is species blind… " Nick paused as he grabbed the sheet of paper Finnick had just signed and turned it over, quickly drawing on the blank side and filling it with images.

"One unhappy collared pred," Nick explained as he pointed at a picture of a glum cat, collar drawn around his Neck.

"Plus four friends able to remove his collar," he said as he pointed towards the second drawing. Located after a plus sign, it was a generic mammal face with a four at the bottom.

"Equals a mammal happier that any time in his previous life!" Nick jabbed the final drawing, the previously glum cat now collarless and happy, hard with his pen. Looking up and smiling with his collar orange, he glanced from friend to friend. They remained emotionless for a while, before Honey's collar turned orange as well, a giant grin growing across her face. Clawhauser was next, giant grin but no orange light.

"Seems cool enough!" Finnick shot out, which for him meant he backed the idea with all the possible enthusiasm he could muster (which wasn't actually saying much).

"Now Nick, we have to keep this all hush hush don't we? Don't want the sheep finding out!" Honey interrupted with her concerned voice, taking immediate charge.

"Yes," he agreed. "Even if it's legal now, a simple law change could ruin it…"

"The sheep wouldn't even wait that long! They'd come straight out to fleece us! They'll be wearing brush-fur scarfs before you can bleet!"

"A risk we'll have to take." Nick nonchalantly shrugged, although he did give his tail a worried glance as he began to reach into his bags in an attempt to fish some things out.

"Nuh-uh slick. But don't worry, I have a plan. Follow me!" Honey announced as she stood up and wandered over to her sink. While the others looked on in confusion, she opened up the draw beneath it. After clearing away the cleaning chemicals and other stuff, two clicks emanated from the area as the bottom of the draw rose up, revealing a hole. Now completely dumbstruck, Nick, Finnick and Clawhauser looked on as Honey turned around and began climbing down into it.

"You think I wouldn't prepare for the worst with all the sheep about!" she proudly boasted, "Come on guys, follow me!"

Honey let go of the rails and slid down the ladder with a squeal, leaving the others silent as they followed into the darkness too.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Put out the fire,_

_and don't look past your shoulder"._

.

**Chapter 7:**

.

Even Nick and Finnick, two mammals blessed with superb night vision, couldn't see anything inside the dark pit. With no way to feel around, they stumbled slightly on the uneven surface, bumping into things and each other as they did so. "Man, I'm gonna stop shaving my whiskers if we're supposed to mess round in this!" Finnick grumbled, before shielding his eyes as the lights came on.

"You really think I spent all my free time doing people's taxes guys?" came a proud chuckle from Honey, but the others were too awestruck to respond.

"This is my bunker!" she announced. "Busted my back a few times, and it took a year to dig the access shaft, but after that it was easy-peezy lemon squeezy!"

The others were silent, lost for words as she carried on her history lesson.

"I cut down into the roots of the tree my house is dug into," she explained, "with the natural wood providing a nice arched roof at the beginning of the works. Adding the rest and extending though was easy! Proud product of ten years preparation for the coming age of wool!"

It was easy for the others to believe that the chamber had taken a decade or so to build. It was about the size of Nick's apartment, much bigger than Finnick's van for sure, and was all in all a chaotic mess. The roof was made of corrugated iron, spotted with flecks of rust here and there, and it arched overhead in order to hold up the layers of rock and soil above. Evidently unable to take the whole load, a myriad of hap-hazard wooden beams assisted in taking the strain. The floor, compacted dirt with flat stones here and there, was thankfully dry while the air seemed to be cool and crisp, likely thanks to a softly humming ventilation fan that was installed somewhere.

Looking forward, Nick could see numerous rickety shelves stocked up with hundreds of sealed honey jars, dried military rations, cans, tins and bags of various long-lasting food such as rice, breakfast cereal and flour. Turning around, Nick pulled back at the sight of yet more shelves of food, along with numerous different improvised weapons. Thistle guns, army knives, a hedge trimmer, wax strips, paint weapons, numerous barber scissors and hair styling tools, a cage full of live and hungry moths, a fire extinguisher filled with shaving foam, superglue and even bubble gum. Every potential weapon that could harm, maim, distract or irritate a sheep (or sheep) was located here. There were files too, stocked to the gills with thousands of notes and papers. Clawhauser, curious at the site, stepped over to one and slowly filed through various pictures of sheep in historical drawings. There were photographs of sheep shaped crop circles and other bits of homemade propaganda and meme's too. His eyes were cocked with confusion at first, but as he flicked through they widened with curiosity. Finnick's gaze was oddly stuck on the shifty sheep clock hanging on one wall, its tiny tail swinging back and forth while its narrow eyes scanned menacingly from left to right. As for Nick, he set his eyes on the back wall. Covered in numerous maps and notes, a web of string, hung taught between pins, linked everything together, forming a complex web of ideas and theories.

"Honey… Is that back wall a visual representation of what's going on in your mind?" Nick asked nervously, his mouth wide open in a mix of awe, fear and confusion while his ears stood up alert. Sure, Honey's usual sheep conspiracy was weird. But this was several leagues ahead in weirdness, the old standard blown out of the water and into the next ocean. He was genuinely thinking that Honey was full blown nuts at that moment, rather than simply just quirky.

"As close as I can get it Slick!" came an enthusiastic shout. While the others were gaping, Honey had slung a massive orange backpack onto her shoulders. Bulging apart from the volume of contents stuffed inside, with digging tools, a stereo, water cans and numerous other knick-knacks bounded by climbing rope to the outside, it made her look twice as big. Still smiling with excitement, Honey rummaged through some materials to her side before grabbing a massive pair of motorised clippers and hoisting them into her paws. Yanking back at the start cord, the little engine slipped into gear, and the whole thing shook, roaring to life. Behind the screaming engine and oily smoke Honey grinned maniacally, eyes alive with power, as she stood ready for battle.

"Sheep free zone!" she screamed, "Last bastion of freedom!"

Shaken out of their shock, the others glanced at Honey and ran for her. Clawhauser pinned her arms behind her back while Nick yanked the pair of clippers from her and silenced them. Looking around angry and confused, collar shinning orange, she made eye contact with Nick.

"I think… you need to calm down a bit Honeybun," he calmly explained, gesturing downwards smoothly with his arms. "You don't want another shock. Just sit down, relax, and I'll fill you guys in about the rest of the plan."

Honey paused for moment, before Clawhauser let go of her arms and she yanked them free. Walking backwards, grumbling all the time, she leapt down onto a small bench and crossed her arms in front of her defiantly, pouting moodily at the three onlookers.

"Well, go on Slick!" she spat out through her extra grumpy face, "spill these real important beans o' yours!"

"OK. Remember the dream?" Nick resumed eagerly. "I felt awesome simply without this collar on. But then, Rollercoaster! It was infinity more awesome! And you know what, other pred's have a right to experience that too! We all know how much those 'pred rides' suck. So last night, I did a whole load of searching after finding out about the collar removers. I've found a great big warehouse by the docks going super cheap, with a nearby shack we can turn into a fake clinic. There are also a fair few abandoned arcade games, and a roller coaster! All being sold up at near scrap value. And this was all before I saw what Honey can do! If she can make all this stuff and those crazy weapons, I'm sure she'll excel at putting together what are essentially giant DIY kits and the odd homemade attraction. It'll be hard for sure, but once done we will own the greatest hang out spot and money maker in the city… Wild Times!"

"You're serious about this? Do you know how absurd this is?" Finnick shot in, his mouth open with confusion.

Nick chuckled, before gesturing around with wonder, "We're in a secret bunker with enough food to last us for ten years…"

"Nineteen, Slick," interrupted a slightly insulted Honey.

"Nineteen years while an all-out shee-pocalypse destroys civilization outside as we know it. That's how serious I am! Look here, files and stuff," Nick finished, as his numerous notes and files were dropped onto the floor. While he stood back proud, the others slowly began taking it apart, scanning and checking the details. Grins began to grow, followed by collar lights turning orange, as they each realized that this could work.

Eyeing his enthusiastic companion calculatingly, Finn shook his head. "Well blast you, Nick. You've only gone and done it!" he said. "If this will make me rich then I'm on board! My van could do with a new surround system after all."

"I'm on board too!" jovially shouted Clawhauser. "I could attend the VIP box at every gazelle concert, seeing our city's angel with horns up close and personal… and get donuts and stuff from all the best restaurants!"

"… Aaah! Getting the sheep can wait a little bit. Count me in Slick!" chimed in Honey.

Nick looked around, joy plastered to his face as his friends ran up and hugged him. For once, he had dared to dream and it was a thing that could come true! He was in control and he wouldn't let the prey turn it into a nightmare. Friends shaking and patting him, his joy and excitement rocketed with his collar shooting up to a quick red, followed by the familiar but ever unwelcome  **Zap**. …

Quiet filled the room, as Nick relaxed his flinching face and resumed smiling. "Even the Collar's on board!" he shouted, his arms stretching out with excitement.

The others laughed, and patted him on the back before sitting down as the thrill left the air.

.

.

"So Nick, where do we start?" Clawhauser asked, as he scanned through layouts and plans.

"Okay, quick financial one-oh-one," Nick began. "The buildings, land and so on cost about ten grand, as do all the bargain rides and stuff. The online course is free, as are the collar keys. The other rides and things, another ten grand. We'll be working on this ourselves, likely living off Honey's supplies. But bringing others to help and supplying equipment and stuff like cranes will be necessary, which I estimate will be another ten… So that's a minimum of forty grand, although I'd want at least fifty, maybe even sixty so that we have a healthy contingency."

"Looks like being Mr saver has paid off," Finnick merrily replied, as he filed through a set of spreadsheets. "We have twenty thousand, plus another five if Honey sells her vast holdings and investment in the tinfoil industry… so we're halfway there. Another ten years and we'll be set."

Nick chuckled, "Another eleven, twelve years till I taste freedom. Heck no. Besides, the cheap rides and stuff will all be gone by then, at least doubling in price… so that's waiting till we're in our fifties! Besides, in that time the laws may have changed. Instead, Honey can apply for a loan to get the final part!"

"NO!"

The others looked over and saw Honey, extra grumpy and moody, looking on with narrow eyes and crossed arms.

"Honeybun?" Clawhauser began softly, before being cut off.

"Nuh...Huh…" she said defiantly, her head confidently shaking back and forth before gesturing behind her. "Look at this! Look at this…"

"What, your stupid ass conspiracy?" Finnick growled.

Honey looked back, teeth bared and collar orange. "I've spent my life trying to combat the injustices of this world," she half growled and half seethed, "trying to expose the evil… the paymasters… the villains who are responsible for our day to day suffering! Can't you see that? Can't you huh? Friends…"

"We see Honeybun," interrupted Clawhauser, somewhat pacifying her as she carried on.

"Wild times will help, but it's a band aid! It's not like it'll bring pred and prey together. Now this! This will fix it all, and I'm not risking the sheep getting any wind of what I'm doin' or where I'm doin' it. Got that Slick!"

Nick merely looked back at her, his smile gone and ears and eyes drooping, before he sighed. "I shouldn't have bothered," he said glumly, before turning away.

"Nick, Honey's sorry about being angry," Clawhauser shot in, "aren't you Honey."

"… fine," Honey replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry I snapped at you Slick."

"It's not that," Nick melancholically replied as he gently began rubbing his tie with the back of his paw, his collar turning orange as he did so. The others gasped at the readout of his mood, knowing how ordinary sadness wasn't really known to trigger a collar, though they stayed quiet as Nick finished. "Wild times is dead."

"What?" Honey asked, confused.

"Listen, if you can't get a loan with the security backing of your home then neither can Clawhauser seeing as he lives with you… Finnick lives in a van! And me…"

"You have the shop, and your flat," Clawhauser butted in, "well, it's more of a place but…"

"Look at me!" Nick shot back, oddly angry, his hands having tightly grabbed the fabric of his tie and clenching it hard.

"Uhh... Okay?"

"What do you see?!" Nick seethed the words out as he flailed his arms up and down, pointing at himself.

"Ummm. You!"

"YES! Nick Wilde, RED FOX."

"So?"

"SO! RED FOX!" Nick shouted, his collar jolting to a quick  **Zap,**  making him flinch down in pain.

"Care to explain Slick?" Honey butted in with a confused tone. "Somethin' 'bout red foxes not getting loans.  
This thing about 'em never trusting your kind?"

Nick merely looked back and sighed, his face muscles collapsed fully from a lack of energy. His eyelids dropping down with eyes dull and lifeless; his mouth small and thin with barely visible lips; ears drooping and fallen back even further due to a lack of support, yet not firmly plastered against his skull as if he were scared or thrilled. He looked absolutely defeated, and sounded it too. "Like you'd know…"

He turned to wander off and grabbed the lowest rungs of the ladder. Pulling himself up, Clawhauser grabbed a surprised Honey and walked forward. "Hey Nick… we can work something out? We could do something fun? You like Gazelle, don't you?"

No reply came back, merely the sound of paws on steel rungs. Clawhauser looked over to Honey and nudged her, shaking her out of her thought process and into urgent action.

"Hey Slick…uh, it's OK…. You can talk to me. It's Honey…Honeybun… Honey Badger does care!" She called up reassuringly, before she paused slightly and turned back to Clawhauser who gave her a quick nod. She looked up as the upper hatch was opened and prepared to speak, before being interrupted by a deep, baritone voice.

"It won't work, leave him," Finnick warned, sounding tired and sad. He'd been silent, standing in the corner the entire time, resigned to the events going on with sympathetic eyes.

"You… you call yourself his big brother," Clawhauser said, voice more disappointed than angry. "You two were raised under one roof for eight years… why didn't you help?"

"Because I was raised under one roof with him, for eight years, as his big brother. When he gives you that face, you leave him the hell alone and I mean alone!"

Clawhauser looked on, before he scowled. "Why… Why does that face mean you don't help him?"

"That's his parent face…"

The whole bunker fell silent, mouths open slightly and ears sadly down, as the upper hatch slammed shut.

.

Nick Wilde walked along the walkways of the rainforest district slowly, watching on as the rain fell from the emitters up high. While he had preened himself somewhat since the doctor's visit, he was still a scruffy mess with dirty fur all ruffled up and unkempt. Consequently, he pulled back his hood and let the rain fall on his face. It cascaded down his fur, dragging the hairs back into some kind of order, aided by a small brush he produced from a pocket and used to assist the process. Stepping down a series of passageways, his head and ears soon looked somewhat presentable as he leant on a narrow balcony between two rocky cliffs. Looking out, fondling his tie therapeutically with his paws as he stood, he observed the city carry on its Sunday morning blissfully unaware.

Far away, on the other side of a large chasm, several cars waited while a road maintenance van picked up a large fallen tree and began hauling it away. Crewed by several stocky beavers in well-worn construction gear, you could see them lick their lips and rub their hands together in delight at their new free meal.

The sound of several sirens pricked Nick's ears and he turned to see a drawbridge opening up in order to allow a heavily laden cargo blimp through. With the path clear, the engines revved up ready for the final approach. Seconds before it crossed, an orange car raced across the bridge and flew over the gap before a pursuing police vehicle made the same jump with moments to spare, several mammals nearby cheering its daredevil driver on in awe.

Straining, Nick looked over to the edge of the canal district, the workers of the floating markets preparing for a busy day of selling and hawking their wares. On the side of each canal, lay beaver dens and houseboats filled with all manner of small, river loving creatures. The many water channels themselves were crisscrossed by boats and aqua cars and even the odd pedestrian, swimming or wading through the warm water. The whole waterway suddenly cleared, as the oncoming drone of a water plane got louder. Splashing down and taxying into position,  
a set of muskrat and beaver engineers got out in order to check on a swamp gas collector, its large gas balloon overshadowing much of the surrounding area.

The rain stopped, with the last remnants still dripping off of the canopy roof and gently pattering down at their own leisurely pace. Nick spotted a large family of fruitbats hanging on the outside eave of their house. Beneath the shelter of the awnings, they talked small talk and passed various fruits between themselves as they enjoyed their breakfast and each other's company. They were flying foxes, a bustling and happy family of them. Whole, complete, with parents and children talking and loving each other freely and unobstructed… The only type of 'fox' in the city with that right…

Leaning over the railing, the last remnants of dripping had ended bar for those coming from Nick himself. They rolled down his fur to the base of his snout where they pooled off of several hanging hairs. Every second or so, the salty drops would detach and fall down. Past the maroon paws fondling the fabric of the tie, past the feet sticking out from under the fence and then past the planks of the walkway, past layers of leaves and all the way to the soft ground. With the rain gone, the entire scene became peaceful for a moment, before a sob filled the air. Then a second louder one was choked out, followed by a harsh  _beep_. A final, quieter one, rang out as Nick took his weight off of the railing and composed himself, walking on with his tie in hand as he let the returning sounds of the city rise back to their usual volume.


	8. Chapter 8

" _Some things in life are bad,_

 _they can really make you mad_."

**Chapter 8:**

.

_Beep Beep, Beep Beep_

A tired paw slammed down on the tacky plastic alarm clock before the final second counter even had a chance to fully flip down. In the dark gloom, Nick Wilde wearily opened his heavy eyes and peered out at his apartment.

From his current vantage point, he could see the unusually bright light of the morning sun piercing through the small window mounted high upon the far away wall. It would have already woken him, were it not for the myriad of criss-crossing pipes that sprung from the roof and each wall, blocking out the light and shielding him from its glare. Rusting at the joints and seams, rubber washers rotting away and steel cables haphazardly put in place to add extra support, the antiquated system was always on the verge of sudden and catastrophic failure. Hundreds (actually, around about 26) of small leaks, ranging from occasional drips to small streams, sprung from the many cracks and joints in the pipework and collected in a variety of containers and buckets strewn haphazardly across the floor. The splashes and drumming of the impacting drops created a percussive, almost smoothing, soundtrack that vied for space with the rattle of an old extractor fan, its high pitched wail seeming to suggest that it was actually helping to clear the stifling smell of Mold that permeated the room. Nick's bed, or den as he called it, was the opened middle draw of a flat-pack writing desk that had come with the place. Just like Finnick, Nick's vulpine nature meant he slept tightly curled up into himself, but even this arrangement was a bit too cosy for comfort. His arm and head both overhung the rough wooden lip with the former swinging lazily down, claws occasionally glancing at the mildew stained concrete floor below.

With a yawn, Nick began to rise, his shifting weight causing the wood to creak from the strain at its joints. Feet finding purchase on the pillow that served as his mattress, he stood up and immediately slammed his head against a very large and obnoxious cast iron pipe that spanned the room just above him. Nick winced, his collar shooting up to orange, before he recollected his thoughts and slumped out of bed.

"If only I didn't hit you… I'd remember you were there," Nick muttered as he drunkenly stumbled to the other side of the room where a small bathroom was located. Passing by numerous tacky self-help and motivation posters, along with the damp and blistering wallpaper (showing off various patterns, composed of the ever fashionable avocado green and pastel yellow), Nick reached his bathroom and began his morning routine. Dropping his blue and white striped boxers by the side and stepping into his bath, he slammed on the water for a shower and, after an uncertain gurgle, it shot out of the showerhead and onto him at an apathetically luke-warm temperature. Messing about with some shampoo and a comb, his still scruffy (although no longer mangy) fur shed its dirt and the hairs slowly aligned themselves back into their usual smooth positions. After doting for a bit too long on his ever luscious brush, the water was turned off and Nick was back out of the shower, towelling away the majority of water that was still clinging to him. Still damp, he pulled his boxers back on and stared at his visage in the vanity cabinet mirror for a few seconds, before yanking it open and grabbing a large can of musk mask. After thoroughly spraying every part of his body, even those covered up by clothes at the time, he moved on to get breakfast.

Opening a draw, Nick grabbed a favourite bowl of his, along with a box of cockroach clusters which he found to be practically empty as he poured them out. Ducking down again to nestle through his cupboards, and confirming that it was indeed his last bowl of cereal, his attention turned to the fridge. Immediately on opening it, his sensitive nose could tell that something was wrong and he jumped backwards with disgust. Grabbing out his carton of milk and sniffing, the lid didn't even have to come off for Nick to recoil in abject horror and revulsion. Holding it as far away as he could, he turned to the sink and emptied the lumpy white mass into it, before slamming on the tap in order to flush away the fermenting gunk as fast as possible. Just like with the cereal, that was the last of his supplies so, stomach growling with hunger, Nick began peeking through various draws to see if he had any breakfast supplies left at all. Some had random cans in them, others had ready-made dinners… and the final one had a fat cockroach, gorged on who knows what, which made a sudden break for freedom.

Nick stepped back slightly, as the insect stood on a threadbare rug and took in its surroundings, before he grabbed a tin saucepan and began chasing after the intruder. Down on his hands and feet, he pounced at the insect and hammered down, missing by a millimetre at most. Nick pounced again, and again, each time glancing the vermin's hind legs. Ancient hunting instincts coursing through his veins, Nick became more determined, a grin growing on his face, while his collar went orange with alarm. The insect, having enough of the sprint, went for the marathon as he scurried away from the kitchen and towards the bathroom. Nick eagerly followed on all fours (although one hand still held onto the saucepan), ears hunkered back and eyes narrow and fierce, as his hunt led him around the room, under his den and back into the kitchen. Passing the bin, the roach came into a corner and stopped, realising it was trapped. Nick grinned with victory and raised his saucepan, ready to deliver the coup de grace, until a familiar beep rang out. Smile vanishing and eyes dilating at the realisation, Nick's punishment came a moment later as, having decided that he'd had quite enough savage fun for one day, the collar let out a bone shuddering two second  **Buzzzz….**  Hunkering down and shaking from the current, the pan slipped from Nick's paw and whacked him on his head, landing on it with a comical bang. As Nick shook his head in order to return himself to his senses, his prey scurried off beneath the work unit and into safety.

Utterly dejected, Nick merely slunk over to his stool and began munching through his meagre meal of dry cereal. He paused, however, and with a sniff he grabbed up his pan and leant to his left. A loud crash rang out as he flung it down, followed be a hushed "yes…" and a celebratory fist pump. Grabbing the squashed rascal, Nick held him under the sink for a bit to clean off the muck before chucking him in the microwave and setting the timer to thirty seconds. Hoovering up the last of the cereal, Nick stood waiting eagerly, back bent down with hands rubbing together and salivating tongue licking his lips. A rare smile grew once more across his face, until the entire room went dark and silent.

"Jorge!" Nick shouted after a few seconds, drumming his fingers on the work surface as he waited for a reply.

"It's 8.30 in the morning! Can't a bear get his rest?" came a deep and bubbling reply.

"Maybe you could ask me to keep it down! Like a normal mammal, whose tenant always pays the rent for his mushroom farm on time…"

"Fine Nick! I'm sorry!"

"Just turn my power back on and actually call that mythical plumber in," Nick replied back, as a series of loud thuds emanated from up above. With a click, Nick's lights went back on, although the microwave's internal clock needed resetting. About to put in the time, Nick paused as he mulled something over.

"Jorge! You said it's 8.30, but it's 7.30!"

"The clocks went forward yesterday morning… remember?"

Nick's eyes widened and ears folded back, and in seconds he was running to his clothing rack. Hung up on one of the few conveniently placed pipes in his home, the small collection included a number of casual and formal shirts, several pairs of slacks and a smart suit protected from the damp by a plastic holder. Quickly hauling a pair of tan slacks and a green Hawaiian shirt over his still damp fur, Nick grabbed his tie, wallet and phone before barging out. Passing Jorge in the living room, who was casually watching TV in his brief's, he gunned out of the front door. Collar glowing orange from the panic, he spotted his bus at the nearby station and leapt onto it mere seconds before it left. Inside the vehicle and panting, Nick thrust his fare into the conductor's hands as he sat down and began carefully tying his tie. Daring to glance at his watch, he relaxed into a wide smile as he saw the time.

"I'm going to make it… just…"

The bus suddenly shuddered to a stop, jolting Nick forward and launching him painfully into the seat in front of him, before he then landed down on the floor. Standing up and peeking forward, he saw a lollipop lady in the middle of the road, beginning to lead a long line of sloth schoolchildren across the street.

.

Barging into the changing rooms, Nick pulled off his tie and hung it up on a peg before slipping into his work overalls and walking briskly onto the shop floor. The hold up at the crossing had delayed the bus by fifteen minutes, although a lot of running had made up five. Lungs burning, Nick hurried across the factory and to his station where Finnick and Clawhauser stood already working.

"WILDE! WHAT TIME DO YOU CALL THIS!" screamed a familiar voice, its owner peering out from over his observation gantry.

"Ten minutes' late sir!" Nick replied sincerely, too worried at giving his boss an actual grievance to be his usual smart arse self.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN WASTE MY TIME, WALTZING IN HERE WHENEVER YOU WANT!"

"Bus was late, I have a note from the driver," Nick calmly explained. Having been stationary for fifteen minutes, he had used his initiative and got a note from the bus driver explaining the situation. Grabbing the signed confession of blame, he waved it up at his boss.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN FOOL ME WITH THAT COUNTERFEIT FOX! I'M THE SMART ONE HERE, YOU'RE THE MORON!"

Nick merely rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone. Having expected a response along these lines, he had taken a selfie with the driver during the note signing. Seeing as bad bosses were one of the few things to unite both pred and prey, the Ox conductor had agreed to the idea and stood behind Nick in the photograph, smiling with the note in hand.

"Here is me with the driver sir."

"HOW DO I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOUR FRIEND?"

"A week last Tuesday, you said even the least self-respecting prey mammal in town wouldn't be seen dead with me."

"…DON'T SMART TALK ME! HOW LONG AGO DID YOU TAKE THAT, WAITING TO USE IT! CONNIVING FOXES, ALWAYS WAITING TO TRICK US DECENT FOLK!"

"The date and time, along with today's newspaper, can be seen in the photo sir."

"CAN'T SEE! DON'T CARE!"

Nick sighed and opened his phone, clicking it a bit, he pressed a button and the beavers phone rang. Opening his eyes in surprise, Woodwacker opened the email and scanned the contents: note, driver, date, time, newspaper and all.

"uh… um," he dawdled, before shaking his head and coming to his senses," HOW DID YOU STEAL MY EMAIL, FOX?"

"It's on your business card…"

The Beaver paused, fondling his fingers before grumbling. "Fine… I was going to take your day's wages…" he mumbled before his face contorted back to his angry self "BUT I'LL STILL TAKE YOUR MORNING’S! I AIN'T PAYING YOU TO USE YOUR PHONE ON THE JOB WILDE!"

Nick clenched his fists and scowled, before the warning light on his collar shook him to his senses and he got back to work. As the slow monotony of his task went on, he found his mind wander slightly back to the day before and Wild Times. However, he immediately flushed the crazy, unreachable dream from his head. He had nowhere near enough money to do it and getting a loan from the Prey controlled banks was out of the question.

“There are some Pred’s who’ll give out loans…”

Nick’s ears perked up and he looked down, spotting Finnick looking up, his overalls already covered in gunk. Nick knew there were pred’s who’d give out loans, but to say they were unsavoury was an understatement.

“You might be that crazy… give you half a chance and I swear you could wipe out a mob bosses personal army,” Nick began, though his jokes failed to life his mood as he continued, his tone getting dourer as he went. “But I’m sane… and we’ve all heard the stories.”

As his companion shook his head and went back to work, Nick did so in kind. Rather than getting depressed, pining for a fantasy, it was better to just keep on working and know his place.

.

Breaking up for lunch, the gang head off to the factory cafeteria. Stuck at the back of the queue, with only half of breakfast in his belly, Nick's stomach growled and rumbled impatiently as he approached the serving area. It had been noted long ago that working at bugburga somewhat diminished your appetite for that particular food and, consequently, the kitchen staff tended to serve a variety of cheap cuisine. Nick's eyes lit up as he saw not only fish fingers with potato waffles and spaghetti hoops for the main course, but also some blueberry cheesecake for desert. His stomach only got loader and loader as he approached and gave his order. Pouring salt, vinegar and copious amounts of tartar sauce and tomato ketchup on his main course, he began salivating, the desire to feast so strong that his collar actually went orange as he handed over his cash.

"I see your very hungry right now. I've never seen a collar warm up over food before…" the lunch lady chuckled, as she handed Nick his tray. Looking around, he wandered across the room to a place next to Finnick and Clawhauser who were already gorging themselves silly and mostly done. Merely smiling and settling down, he skewered a fish finger with his fork and was about to thrust it in his mouth when…

**-Ring—Ring—Ring-Ring—Ring—Ring-Ring—Ring—Ring-**

The fire alarm rang out, and the entire room full of groaning mammals stood up and began walking out. Nick paused for a moment and, bitter at the horrifically cruel timing of what was almost certainly a drill, he thrust his fork down in order to load it with as much food as possible. About to satisfy at least one modicum of his hunger, the fast moving fork was seconds away from his mouth when a large polar bear marched past.

"Sorry Fox," he shouted, as he grabbed Nick's neck and tore him away from his plate, the fork tumbling in the air before clattering to the ground. "It's my neck on the line if this here drill fails."

And so Nick stood in line, rubbing his hungry stomach as all the workers listed their names. The Fox checked his watch as time slipped on. His food getting cold, then soggy, then congealing, then evolving sentience and developing its own form of apartheid… Finally, thirty minutes later, the register was done and everyone was ready to return to the cafeteria to finish their meals.

"OKAY YOU SLIMY LOT," screamed Woodwacker through a microphone, "LUNCHTIME'S OVER, FOOD'S IN THE BIN. STRAIGHT BACK TO WORK ON THE DOUBLE."

Nick's face fell open, his tummy roaring like a lion, before he sullenly slipped off back to his station.

.

It was raining when he left work. Of course, it had to be raining. The cold water lashed down, with even more vigour than the rainforest district could manage. Nick had agreed to wait for Finnick's van under an awning and was sheltering himself from the relentless downpour while nurturing a mealworm donner kebab, filled with fried onions, greens, peppers, hot sauce, garlic sauce and ripe plum tomatoes and firm lettuce, all picked earlier in the day far away in bunny burrow. Unwrapping the paper, Nick inhaled the rich smell, vastly enhanced thanks to his sensitive nose, before licking his lips with glee. Lifting the food up to his waiting mouth, jaws open wide, his collar once more triggered orange… then flashed to red.  **Zip…**  It was a tiny one, barely audible, but the flinch that resulted from it jolted Nick's fingers together and sent the entire contents of the pita bread sailing through the air. It passed under his mouth, splashed off his front and splatted onto the filthy pavement just as an Elephant walked past and mushed it in. As if to add insult to injury, Nick's stomach decided to growl again.

"Shut… up…" Nick angrily seethed, as he tore out the pita bread and stuffed it all in his mouth before swallowing it whole. "Happy now savage instincts? Did that taste good? Thanks to you, that's all you're getting. And look at…"

Nick paused as he peered down and surveyed his front, splatted with a clean freaks nightmare: hot sauce, garlic sauce and grease, all down his shirt and tie. His eyes and mouth opened in abject horror before his paws shot to work, taking his tie off his shirt collar and holding it out in front of him within seconds, before they desperately began trying to swipe off as much sauce as possible. Emotionally winded, Nick seemed oddly calm as he frantically attempted to undo the damage, but his collar began warming up again from his rising fear as he desperately tried sucking at the fabric, attempting to remove as much gunk from it as he could. Glancing around in panic, Nick spotted an empty glass on a nearby table which was filling with fresh rainwater. Rushing over, he dunked the tie in and swilled it about, before attempting to ring and squeeze the filth and stains out. After the third panicked go, Nick brought out the tie and held it up, surveying the damage.

"No…no…no…no…" he stammered out, as his eyes flicked up and down at the stained fabric. With desperate times calling for desperate measures, Nick stuffed the tie in his pocket and grabbed his phone just as Finnick rolled up in his van.

"Hey Nick, what's the problem?"

"I need you to drop me off here on the way home, head back without me. OK?" shouted Nick, as he thrust his phone over to Finnick. The diminutive Fennec merely nodded and gestured for Nick to get in, which he did in seconds, before they set off.

.

It was early evening by the time Nick exited the dry cleaners, gently stroking his tie, still wrapped in the dry cleaner's plastic wrapping, in his hands. The rain was still pouring, and Nick sheltered in the doorway as he waited for a bus to take him home. Breathing in and out, too tired from the stressful day to even feel hungry anymore, he held out his tie in front of him and smiled.

"Fifty dollars for your emergency clean, friend…" he said warmly as he removed the cellophane cover. Pulling the fabric to his face and snuggling it gently, tenderly rubbing it on the right hand of his muzzle, Nick continued, "Fifty dollars well spent. I won't ever let you go again."

With a sigh, Nick put his tie in one of his pockets, wary to tempt any more damage on this day of continuous humiliation. His smile faded as he glumly sat down, before he clawed at his eyes and grunted.

"I'm going crazy… I need to see a shrink or something before I start blaming the sheep…" he muttered, as he picked up his phone. A few dials and a quick call later, and Nick found a spare spot at a local clinic. Slotting the phone away, he smiled to himself and began walking off.

"I suppose at least…" he smirked, "there are people whose dreams have failed harder and who days are worse than mine… and I can laugh at them while feeling better about my own… miserable existence."

A sudden honk pricked Nick's ear, followed by the sound of skidding tires as a police car ground to a halt in front of Nick. Splashing through the gutter, a torrent of filthy water was chucked up at Nick, covering him in mud and grime. The shock and anger was quickly met with a quick  **ZAP** … the arcing current causing him to flinch down and cradle his aching neck.

"Oh Sorry Nick!" came an annoyingly cheerful voice. Nick turned his head to see Officer Carrots, in the driving seat of her police car, grinning from ear to ear.

"I just thought that you and your son would be happy to know that the Mayor talked to my boss!" Judy announced ecstatically, paws tuckered up in fists and shaking with glee. "She got him to give me a chance, and here I am. First day of being a real cop! I caught three nasty criminals: a squirrel trying to jack a car, a wallaby shoplifting goods in his pouch and a very shifty looking Fox who looked real sly and must have been up to no good. It… was… awesome!" she exclaimed, arms gesturing widely above her with excitement.

"Yep…" Nick grunted, as he moved along, "Nice to know that you're living the dream…"

Judy merely chuckled, before she waved goodbye, raised the window and drove off.


	9. Chapter 9

_"And I can still hear his laughter,_

_and I can still here his song,_

_The man's too big,_

_the man's too strong."_

- **Chapter 9-**

.

Lying back on the couch with his tie back on, Nick stared aimlessly at the ceiling, twiddling his thumbs to pass the time. A brief noise caught his ear and, looking over, he spotted the psychiatrist wander in, slowly flicking through his clipboard.

"I've heard you're hear instead of my usual, Mr…?" the Guinee pig mumbled, not making eye contact as he turned to shut the door.

"Mr Wilde," Nick clarified.

"Aah yes…" he replied, before turning and spotting Nick on the couch. Stepping back a bit with shock, and with a slight "Oh", he regained his composure as he wandered up to a nearby seat. Scrambling up onto it, and grabbing a new block of paper to write notes on, he flicked open the top of a lectern in order to expose a large red button. Nick merely sighed, before moving his hands above his chest.

"Mr Wilde, could you just glance through the cards to your right and tell me what you see?"

Nick silently obliged, grabbing a stack of white cards and idly scanning through them.

"Vampire bat… vampire bat… vampire bat… vampire bat… vampire bat…" he said, bored as he flicked through. His eyes widened as he saw the final card, and his voice reflected his surprised nature, "the Spanish Inquisition!"

The Psychologist stood bolt upright and looked over at Nick, "really? I didn't expect them!"

"Too bad then, it's actually a vampire bat," Nick replied smugly, turning over his final card to reveal the picture of a bat, standing up in a red T-shirt, before dropping it down to join the five identical cards on the floor.

The Guinee pig was evidently unimpressed and merely groaned as silence permeated the room for a moment or so, until he restarted the conversation. "So, Mr Wilde, what issues have been troubling you lately?"

"Well," Nick began unenthusiastically, gently grabbing his tie and beginning to fumble it through his fingers as he spoke, "I've had a really bad day… I feel like my life is one whole pointless, miserable slog from cradle to grave… I feel bitter and depressed and, well, always nervous that something will get worse... which it then always does."

"What do you mean by worse?"

"What do you think?" Nick harrumphed back, "some stupid new law or tax that the prey brings in on us preds, which we can't do anything about."

The Guinea pig pulled back slightly, flicking the plastic casing on top of the button up.

"So, you don't like prey mammals?" he asked curiously.

"Nope, no offense."

"You feel like, being denied your 'right' to push them around is an insult? It's frustrating you that you can't take out your grievances on them."

Nick's collar shone orange as he growled slightly, turning his head over to look the psychiatrist in the eye. "Of course not… My grievances are  **because**  of the prey animals, not on to them. I mean there you are, saying that I'm violent scum who wants to treat people bad! I just… want to be treated… equal," Nick said, sighing sadly as he spoke the last word.

"Can you explain what you mean by equal?"

"Like… I want people who meet me to have a complete blank slate, rather than always assume I'm out to hurt them or scam them. I want to be treated with respect, rather than denied service or shouted at. I want… I want to be free."

"What do you mean by free?"

"Free to enjoy life," Nick replied back with conviction. "Free to be happy, free of all the weight around my neck that's holding me down."

"Free, from your collar?"

Nick paused, taking in a large breath and gulping, before speaking out firmly. "Yes."

"Any reason why?"

Nick's voice hardened, "Have you ever worn one, even once?"

The Guinea pig chuckled, "Why would I ever need to wear one?"

"Because you can never understand what it's like," Nick spoke back with an angry tone, his hackles raised and collar amber. "You can mumble on about this and that, but you'll never understand! All I can say, is that my best experience in life was a few days ago, when I had my collar off for a few minutes at the doctors." He paused, relaxing slightly and speaking in a happy tone, "I fell into a fantastic daydream… and I was free."

The Psychiatrist nodded slightly and began jotting down notes. Silence filled the air in the room, leaving Nick alone and, pulling his tie up to his face, he sniffed the fabric slightly for comfort (disappointed to still smell chilli and garlic sauces) before gently rubbing it on his sensitive nose.

"You seemed very attached to that tie Mr Wilde," the Guinea pig cheerfully pointed out.

Nick's eyes opened wide and his collar briefly flashed orange, before he quickly thrust the tie down onto his chest, barking out a quick "NO" while he was at it. The Psychiatrist merely chuckled and went back to his notes while Nick's eyes nervously darted around.

"Mr Wilde, the way you fumble with that tie. The way you reacted when I mentioned it eliciting such a strong response: verbally, behaviourally and emotionally… I mean look at your collar. That tie must have very high sentimental value. Was it a gift? Did it belong to a family member?"

Nick sighed as he fell silent, closing his eyes as he deeply inhaled, his ears flattening themselves tightly to the back of his head as his collar beeped up to orange and stayed there. After five or so empty seconds had slowly ticked by, he finally shrugged slightly before coming out with his answer. "Both," he said straight, before his voice cracked up very slightly, "It was Dad's…"

The Psychiatrists eyes opened wide, and he wandered over to Nick. Cautiously, he placed a reassuring hand on Nick's shoulder and rubbed gently. "Whatever you say is confidential, just tell me."

Nick turned away, avoiding gaze with the smaller mammal, as he fixed his eyes on the room's wall instead.

"Was he bad? Did he hurt you? Your mum?"

Nick's collar flicked to red, a tiny  **Zip…**  causing him to grimace before he gave a sudden, firm reply, "Never!"

"Pardon Mr Wilde?"

"My Dad…" Nick began to reminisce in a soft and fond, but sad voice; its mellow tone filling the room as he turned to gaze at the ceiling while speaking. "He loved me and he loved my mum. He never hurt me or her… and he always dreamed. He always dreamed of a better life for all of us, but the prey always crushed it. Because they hate us for who they think we are."

"Could you… give me an example?"

Nick was silent for a few moments, his eyes darting about as he thought, before he spoke up. "One comes up off the top of my head. I suppose it's relevant given some issues I've been having."

"Go on."

Nick deeply breathed in and out, before closing his eyes and talking. "We never had much money, living in an old part of the city called Happytown. It was still struggling after the fishing industry was killed off, mostly dead right now. My family owned a little suit store, just by the third junction of the Z12 expressway, and my dad would tailor, rent and sell suits to the locals. But he always dreamed of going bigger…"

.

- **25 Years ago** -

.

The sun was shining brightly down on the busy plaza outside of Zootopia central station from up above. Thousands of mammals intermingled, enjoying the warm afternoon or heading home from the day's work. In one corner of the square lay the entrance to the proud natural history museum, and out of it a large bunch of schoolchildren were pouring out in a line. Somewhere in the middle, two Fox kits, one small and tan with giant ears and one larger with red fur, strolled out with wide eyes as they chatted to each other.

"Nick…" came a familiar dignified shout that pricked the ears of the larger kit. "Nicky," it came again with an element of fondness in the tone. Peering around to see the source of the voice, big fluffy ears raised and scanning, the larger Kit's face (and collar) lit up as he ran straight out of the line and raced towards his caller.

"Daddy, Daddy," little Nick happily shouted back, voice full of excitement as he skipped along the pavement and then jumped straight into waiting arms of a larger, adult Fox. Dressed in a fine dark charcoal suit, with freshly ironed black trousers, a blue checked shirt and a blue and purple tie; Nick's Dad was tall (although a bit shorter than adult Nick) and dignified. His build was burlier than adult Nick's lanky form, with slightly smaller ears, broader shoulders and thicker limbs, snout and, in particular, neck. His dense chest fur was cream coloured rather than white while his red fur was closer to maroon, rather than Nick's scarlet, with the dark tips on the end of his limbs and tail small and barely noticeable. Looking down at his son with his warm amber eyes and, cradling him lovingly into a tight hug, Nick's Dad discretely checked the now green light around his son's neck with concern. Relaxing slightly at the sight, a wide grin grew on the larger fox as he smiled proudly and cradled his son in his arms. He fussed up the little Kit's head fur, sending his tail into an excited wag and voice into a giggle, before giving his nose a quick kiss.

"Paps… not in front of the others," the Kit carefully whispered, looking up into his father's eyes.

Chuckling, the older Fox said back in his deep, loving voice, "You're only five Nick. No reason to be embarrassed at Daddy at this age, you're growing up quite to fast as it is."

The little fox smiled back, proudly running his fingers along his collar, "Well, I am a grown up now that I've got this. As grown up as you."

The older fox's grin vanished, his perked up ears and eyes sagging as he diverted his gaze away. He was still racked with guilt and shame from putting on his sons collar that morning, taking away his freedom while his little boy thanked him for it. It seemed that Nick had been lucky so far, not triggering his collar. But it would come soon enough, along with all the inconveniences and hate, and then his son would never be the same again.

"Paps?" came a concerned voice. Nick was looking up and, worried at his father's mood, he gently extended his hand before beginning to tenderly stroke the big Fox's muzzle with his paw. The older Fox snapped out of his bad mood, and put on a wide grin.

"I've got something to show you. Come with me."

.

They had travelled away from the city centre, through clean streets and past smart apartments to the junction of five roads. Shops lined the street level, the pavements over brimming with the various wares of greengrocers, bakeries, sweetshops, café's and bookstores. The two foxes wandered past them all and towards a large building wedged between two of the roads, it's windows dusty and a large for sale sign hanging outside. Nick pulled back slightly as his father walked on, climbing the steps up to the door.

"What's this?" came the voice of Nick, very confused as to why he was here or what his father had planned.

"This," replied Nick's dad, voice proud and firm, "used to be…" He turned and, drawing out the words as he spoke, wiped off the dust and grime on the glass to reveal the letters beneath, embossed on the window in gold. 'Tailoring'.

"Like… our shop?" Nick asked, head tilting to almost ninety degrees as his large ears flopped about above him. Chuckling at the overwhelming cuteness of the classic expression of canine curiosity, the large fox turned back to the window.

"Yes, but soon it won't just have been like our shop…" came the enthusiastic voice as words were drawn onto the pane of glass via squeaking paw pads, "soon it will be our own shop! For everyone, from the smallest mouse!... to the largest elephant!"

The large Fox grinned back, radiating with pride, as he showed off his handiwork. Beneath the golden letters, the words 'Wilde & Son' could be made out.

"We'll do this together," he announced proudly, as he ran back towards his son and pulled him up into a tight hug. They both giggled at each other, rubbing their noses together playfully and all the while oblivious to their orange collars. Nick's dad hoisted the little Kit onto his shoulder and then they walked off. They began wandering back down through the downtown area, its streets thronging with mammals leaving work, all the while both glowing with excitement. Mouth in a wide open grin with pride, the elder Fox walked on while little Nick's head shot around, taking in every sight and scene of the buzzing metropolis.

" _We just needed a loan to make it happen_ ," came the voice of adult Nick, sadly permeating the memory as the two Fox's walked up the marble steps of the imposing main city bank. " _My Dad had his presentation ready, he'd dressed me up smart in some clothes he'd brought and we'd practice, and I was so proud. Because this was Zootopia, where anyone could be anything, and my gosh we were going to make this happen. Together_."

.

The heavy wood door creaked opened, and the two Foxes walked into the bank manager's musty old office room. Little Nick trotted in behind his father, dressed in smart white shirt, black trousers and a tie, and a giant grin plastered on his face. Ears pricking at a sound behind him, he glanced back to see a Rhino security guard stomp past the open door and glance in with concern, before muttering something and stepping to the side. The stomps stopped, and little Nick paused, curious about why the Rhino wasn't carrying on, before the confused bank manager called to them, snapping out of the odd expression he had held when they first walked in.

"Mr Wilde?" he asked, half shocked and half confused.

"Yes sir, pleasure to meet you," replied Nick's Dad, smiling as he held out his paw towards the large Deer on the other side of the desk.

"Mr… John Wilde?" he asked again, with the same tone.

"Yes… Is it the voice? I've heard friends commenting that our phone was a bit dodgy."

"'Honest John', you said that that was what some people called you?"

"Well, friends, family and satisfied customers mostly…" John Wilde chuckled.

The Deer was less impressed, audibly groaning and rolling his eyes as he muttered out "Honest John…" with utter disdain. While doing so, John remained standing proud while little Nick took up a position beside him. They were both smiling as the deer snapped out of his self-admonishment and looked at them like they were a pair of bad stains.

"Just get on with it…" he grunted, as he began to watch apathetically.

"There are close to a hundred suit store across Zootopia and the neighbouring districts, including my own back in the Happy town area, but they all serve one size or mammal type," John Wilde began, eagerly selling his idea with an excited voice and enthusiastic hand motions. "Which is great, unless you're a mouse who lives in tundra town and doesn't want to go all the way to Little Rodentia to hire some clothes for prom. Or what if you're an Elephant who doesn't like the existing Elephant run store. Note the lack of a plural there." With that little joke, John paused to catch his breath while Nick grinned and winked at the manager, his two thumbs eagerly sticking up. Standing back to normal, he looked up as his father began the home straight.

"But what if there was a suit store for all the mammals. Well, me and my son have a plan. We have a location; all we need is a loan to make it happen. It's not Zootopia, it's Wilde and Sons Suitopia!"

With the final flourish, John opened up his briefcase and a folded up cardboard model of a large suit store popped up, while Nick proudly gestured at it in all its glory. Clusters of fairy lights, cannibalised from an old Christmas tree, blinked on and off. They illuminated the numerous mouse sized suits, delicately made and hanging proud on their display racks and mannequins. The base of the diorama was painted to look like real wood flooring, clean and varnished, while the back wall contained numerous inset mirrors which all reflected the bank managers disinterred eyes.

"Need a suit?" John began, before both he and his Son finished, "Suitopia welcomes you!"

 **Thud** …

There was quiet for a moment, as the two Foxes looked on and tried to register the flat out rejection. There had been no hesitation, no pondering, it had come the moment they had wrapped up their presentation. However, John, as he snapped back to the moment, realised that it had come the moment the manager had seen his red fur.

"Come on Nick, let's go," he said tiredly, as he grabbed his briefcase and left. His Son, however, stood on staring at what had happened. His head tilting with one ear up and one ear down, he tried to comprehend the situation that had occurred. Eyes glancing down at the table he noticed two Gerbil clerks march over with a large rubber stamp, ready to further deny the loan as if to rub salt in the wound and, in a brief spout of careless childlike curiosity, he grabbed the stamp and held it up. Merely wanting to observe it, it took a second to register that the gerbils were still clinging on with tight hands while their mouths screamed, "Security!"

Glancing around, John saw what his son was doing and ran over. "Put them down Nick," he urged, his authority easily gaining the Kits attention and making him place them down. But it was too late, as the burly Rhino guard that had been waiting outside barged past and tore Nick up with one arm.

"Hey… Hey!" John cried as he turned to plead with the guard, his collar shooting up to orange as he did so. Peering out backwards and struggling to breath in the vice like grip, Nick began to squirm with fear and desperation, his eyes desperately searching out for his father to plead for help.

"Daddy…" he cried, as his father ran through the door and around to the Rhino's front, pleading up to him while desperately trying to remain calm at the same time.

"He's only five, it was only a simple misunderstanding!"

The panicked shouts of the little Kit continued, desperately calling for his father's comfort as his body surged with adrenaline, preparing to fight of flight until the pleading calls were all silenced by a brutal three second  **BUZZ….**  Electricity shot out of the collar, arcing through Nick’s red fur and tearing down to his skin, the burning pain causing him to scream out in agony. The little Fox was quiet for a moment, his face slowly unlocking after viciously wincing up with the pain of his first shock, before he began to bawl and cry like a baby. Three seconds was long, very long, especially for a little Kit.

All this time, John had been frozen in horror, attempts to speak merely coming out as odd chokes as the Rhino passed him on the way down the corridor, his eyes and mouth wide open and trembling while his ears were plastered back. Suddenly, his teeth bared and face gritted with anger, John Wilde growled furiously as he charged forward and leapt up, desperately trying to haul his wailing son out of the Rhino's vice like grip. But all this time, he hadn't noticed the tell-tale beep and red light of his own collar, and then he noticed...

  **BUZZZZZZZ**

Six seconds… that was how long Nick watched his father getting shocked for. His crying paused for the entire time, watching on silently as his father shook and screamed in agony on the floor. Every part of him was trembling, with his eyes welded shut and guttural moans and sounds escaping from his bared and gritted teeth. His entire body clenching up from the current, he dug into the carpet with his claws and somehow managed to stay on his hands and knees, rather than tumble and writhe on the floor, while a single arm was outstretched desperately towards his son. It was the first time Nick had ever seen his father shocked and to see his once proud Dad, who was always good and loving and never angry or mean, trembling on the floor and trying to catch his breath before struggling to slowly get up broke his heart more than his own first painful shock ever could.

.

After the event, finding his son squatting outside on the steps of the bank, John put his still twitching paw gently down onto Nick's shoulder. While still emotional, clear from the on and off twitching of his limbs along with his occasional sniffling and a still orange collar, Nick was by and large still and silent. Both Foxes twitched together, their once smart clothing was creased while their fur stuck up as if there were a lightning storm on outside. Feeling the comforting touch, the little Kit looked up at his tired, bedraggled and suddenly unkempt father and smiled with optimism in the way that only a child could.

"We're going to the hospital now, aren't we?" he asked cheerfully.

"Pardon Son?" John replied, eyebrows rising with surprise at the statement but voice surprisingly weary.

"To get new collars," Nick replied back eagerly, "they're only supposed to hurt us when we're super naughty, so our ones must be broken. We'll just get new…" His voice lost its happiness and hope, slowing down and then trailing off, confused and lost, into nothing. All the while, the smile on the little Kit faded as he looked up at his father's eyes. So alive and full of energy before, they looked old and tired now as a tear or two wept from them.

"I'm sorry son… lets go home" was all he could say, before he led his son off.

" _The City looked very different that night…_ " came adult Nick's voice, as the little kit wandered through the crowds, led by his father's paw. " _I saw that whenever people saw us, their eyes filled with worry, hate, anger or fear_ ," it spoke again, as Little Nick glanced up at the mammals staring at him as they moved away, hands over their back pockets. Looking down, he saw a Mum and Dad rabbit, both pushing strollers containing four babies each. He smiled and tried to wave, but on making eye contact the mother took over both prams and pushed them rapidly away, while the father stood angrily in guard in front with a bottle of Fox repellent in his paws, primed for use. " _I knew then why my Dad cried when he put my collar on, I knew how it felt to be unable to protect those you loved_ " he said, as they stepped on the train home, the carriage rumbling as the engines started and they left the station. Looking down at his feet as night fell, little Nick stood up and peeked out from the edge of his seat. Travelling across the bay he saw the beautiful city, lights glimmering, along with its shimmering reflection in the water. It was a sight that should have brought wonder, as seeing the city for the first time earlier that day had, but the only emotion on the little fox's face was one of complete and utter sadness and betrayal. " _It was then I knew that Zootopia was a lie._ "

.

**-Present Day-**

.

"Anyone can be anything? Predators and Prey get along in harmony…?" Nick merely shook his head and made the most apathetic grunt he could muster.

The Psychiatrist look on in silence, studiously filling in his notes. Bar the sound of his collar ticking back down to green, the scratch of pen on paper was the only thing that Nick could hear as he fondled with his tie, rubbing it against his muzzle, for comfort.

"… Maybe…" the Psychiatrist cautiously began, "maybe your issues are because you think you're betraying your father's ideals?"

"Pardon…" Nick said, his eyes widening slightly with curiosity as they turned to stare of the Guinea Pig.

"Your father wanted to own a suit store that served all the mammals, right? He wanted to treat them all as equals?" Nick merely nodded as the speech continued, "by taking your anger and rage issues out on prey, you're betraying your father's ideals. This internal conflict is what makes you bitter while, I assume, your lack of closure with your father keeps it gnawing away inside of you."

Nick nodded his head slightly, a tiny smile even growing on his face. However, it was wiped away when the next question came in, "Was your last experience with your father divisive? Did you have a fight before he died?"

Nick turned away and sniffed, collar shooting back up to orange. "No. No fight," he said, his voice beginning to crack as he closed his eyes, "Paps is still alive, too. Not that it matters."

Pausing slightly, the Guinea Pig chose to continue, "Mind telling me about your last experience with him?"

Nick remained silent, bar the occasional sniff, as his head turned and faced away from the Guinee pig, beginning to breathe deeply while all the while kneading his tie vigorously into his muzzle. With no reply, the small mammal turned away and began to write down more notes, illuminated by the orange glow but, after a moment or so, His ears suddenly pricked from the shuffling sound in the corner. He looked up and saw Nick rest himself on his back, deep breath abating slightly while the tie fondling continued. Suddenly the Fox began talking, his voice full of fondness and nostalgia as he reminisced.

"As I said, my father always dreamed… If anything he dreamt more after that day. He began talking about the wide world… the vast forests and trees and plains. The other countries: Reptoslavia, the Kingdom of Aviaria, republic of Primaiti… and how there were many unclaimed islands and lands and beaches and… all sorts of hidden places that no-one owned. He began to tell stories about buying a big abandoned fishing boat and inviting our friends, and we would sail off to a wooded island where a cold river from the mountains met the warm salty sea. Where the water brimmed with fish and crabs… the undergrowth with berries and fruit… the soil with vegetables and bugs, and the beaches with shellfish and seaweed. And we would have no collars so we could play without fear… and in the summer we would build log cabins and generators and stuff so more people could come and live without their collar… and in the warm evenings, after building and farming, we would come together by a bonfire and talk and play and laugh… and play music and dance and be happy…"

The Psychiatrist stared on and scribbled down notes after notes after notes. Nick, meanwhile, lay down with his eyes closed and a wide smile on his face, collar still a solid orange. His voice when describing his father's dream had been smooth with honey, and he now laid back savouring the sweetness, despite the few pained sobs that occasionally escaped his muzzle. But all that happiness went when the next question came.

"What… happened?"

.

- **22 year ago** -.

.

Maroon feet ran across the creaking wooden floorboards as a loud and powerful pounding came from below. Nick Wilde, hunkered down scared in his little den (a wicker basket with a pillow at the bottom), peeked up nervously through his blanket to see his father burst into his bedroom. Collar orange and tears in his eyes, he knelt down to Nick and looked at his son’s face, carefully taking in and savouring every precious feature: the big ears, the emerald eyes, the little purple nose, his cute short snout and the solitary right fang that goofily peeked out at the front. A particularly loud bang shook John Wilde to his sense, and he planted his paw tenderly around Nick's muzzle, cradling it gently while leaning forward.

"I'm sorry Son… I made a mistake," he blubbered out despondently between sobs, as a very confused Nick stepped up and hugged him in an attempt to comfort.

"Paps …" came the scared and worried reply from the little Kit, as the orange light illuminating him turned red.  **Zap…** Flinching away as the shock painfully shook his father, Nick turned back to give comfort again but was stopped in his tracks.

"Nicholas, listen here," John interrupted sternly, as the pounding below was accompanied by a loud crack of wood. "I love you, mom loves you. When the police find you, ask if you can stay with your friend Finnick. His mum and dad are good mammals, they’ll look after you, I promise."

"What's going on?" Nick nervously asked, terror and panic rising in his voice as there was a heavy crash below and footsteps began marching in.

"They found out about the boat… the island…tell them that you knew nothing. Promise me son?" came the frantic answer.

"… yes Daddy," Nick replied, burying himself back into his den and beginning to cry with worry as shouts rang out from below.

" _One suspect with collar, Over! Marie-Anne Wilde, you are under arrest for planning the theft and illegal use of a collar key…._ "

"Take these," John suddenly urged as he thrust a photograph album and several framed pictures into Nick's arms, while the stomps began getting closer. "… and this," he continued as he began to cry again. He quickly pulled his tie off of his collar and hung it around his cowering son, gently tightening it before planting a kiss on the fabric. Now fully sobbing with grief, he planted a second kiss on his sniffling son’s forehead and lunged forward to hug him, "…Don't stop dreaming… make me proud son… make me as proud as you've done already."

And with that, John Wilde let go of his son and stood up tall and proud. He turned and walked purposefully out of the door, closing it behind him. The stomping stopped, and some metallic clicks were heard, before a voice pierced the night.

" _John Wilde, you are hereby under arrest…_ "

.

" _I watched them get taken away,_ " adult Nick said wearily, his voice permeating into the past as his eight-year-old self stood outside, huddled in the rain with an orange collar. Standing between two stoic police officers, he watched his parents led out silently via long neck poles, their hands cuffed tightly behind their backs. His mother was first, dressed in her lilac dress while the water ran down her light orange and white fur. She glanced back at him, her green eyes, bloodshot and blurry, making brief contact with the identical ones of her son, before the two massive officers pulling her forward yanked at their poles and forced her onwards. John came next, silent and head tipped down in shame as he was led on too. Stepping into the back of the van with his wife, the two loops around his neck were released and he glanced up to look at his son one last time, before the doors slammed shut. There was a bang as the driver's door closed and the van coughed to life. As it drove away, Nick saw it, and the two orange pinpricks in the black windows, vanish off into the darkness.

" _I did as he asked and was adopted by my friend's family_ ," adult Nick continued, as night turned to day and young Nick wandered past the store. The streets were dusty, with the odd spot of graffiti or stray weed, but the occasional car and pedestrian would wander past and give a concerned glance.

" _I always hoped that they would come back, but they never did_ ," he finished, as young Nick, looking a couple of years older, just stood on the pavement looking up. The roads and pavements lay infested with newly grown weeds while graffiti was scrawled on everything in sight: buildings in the background, the elevated highway, the burnt out cars and a streetcar that had all been abandoned. Even the once smart suit store, John Wilde's name still plastered on the front where it had once lived so proudly, had fallen to the decay and lay boarded up and abandoned.

.

- **Present day** -

.

"I never saw them again…" the hollow words lingered in the quiet room. Nick didn't cry, or weep, or display great grief. He just lay there looking aimlessly at the ceiling, with an orange collar on his neck and paws fondling his tie, before he sniffed slightly and then let silence take over the room.

The Guinea pig was quiet too, even his notetaking interrupted… until he muttered the first words that came to his mind, "You… don't seem very upset?"

"Grief is super naughty…" Nick weakly said as he reached up and rested a paw cautiously on the orange light around his neck, "don't you know? I do."

Still pausing, the doctor began to ask another question, but Nick cut him to the chase. "They're both serving life in solitary…" he said, in a tired and hopeless voice, "separate prisons… no visitation or communication rights… I'll only be able to see them again at their funerals…"

The faint beat of two hearts was all that could be heard in that moment, echoing mournfully around the empty room, before the Guinea Pig gathered his notes and looked up.

.

"Mr Wilde, I believe your issues stem from your fathers last words… along with the conflict discussed before… You're angry at society for what happened, and wish to take it out on prey animals. This inherent contradiction, is the problem."

Nick smiled and shrugged, his collar dropping down to green, "Maybe…"

“You still have your fathers tie? Anything else to remind you of them?”

“Some pictures, I still own the store even though it’s worthless. Dad’s music collection, I used to listen to that a lot to help me… So at least I got a good taste in music from this whole…”

Nick’s words trailed off into a chuckle at his little joke, a small slice of humour to help with the wound. The Psychiatrist seemed to enjoy it too, and shuffled his notes before continuing.

"It seems you can’t let go of your father’s bad influence. So, I advise that firstly, you distance yourself from your parent's dangerous and extremist views… burn that tie maybe…"

Nick blinked a bit, shaking his head as his mouth gaped open in shock, before his collar went back to orange.

"And try to find a positive attitude to your collar, embrace its many benefits. Learn to love it…"

 _Beep_ … **Zap…**

It was a quick one, and Nick immediately stood up and marched over to the Guinea pig who was suddenly shaking with fear, his hand over the alarm button.

"You just don't get it? Do you?" Nick spoke out angrily, as he grabbed the session notes from under the Psychologists paw… "Let's see what else you don't get!" The tiny mammal cowered, tucking his limbs into himself and looking on, as Nick stormed out of the office.

.

Marching down the corridor with an orange collar, Nick tore through the pages of notes as he bitterly and sarcastically read them out: "Fox, take all comments with large pinch of salt… Evidently has too much time and hands and fills it with bad humour… Standard sympathy routine… Talks about Pred supremacy… Attempts to joke, fails miserably… Aggressive… Ludicrous notion that mammals should abandon reasonable assumptions about his species… Escapist fantasies… Dangerously disproportionate bitterness towards collar, RED LINE!… Attacks my professional ability… Had collar off for medical reasons in past, source of dangerous fantasies… creepy tie obsession… Abusive parent?... Attempts to whitewash families and own likely criminal past!... "  **Zap…**

Nick flinched, before moving on, "In denial about scale of past attack on innocent rodents… Father has insane fantasies, should have been committed… Patient in denial about parents being potential terrorists!"

He tore up the notes as he exited the door, throwing them into the air and letting them blow away like snow. Collar shining orange, his breath was heavy as he straightened his tie and stood tall, ready to speak out to the entire city.

"I don't know where you are father, but I will make you proud!" he cried out in a loud voice, while holding a clenched fist up high. "I won't give up dreaming! I am Nicholas P Wilde, and I promise you that NO ONE CAN STEAL MY THUNDER!"

With a solid thump on his chest, Nick looked on at the world that hated him. The world that he vowed to hustle back tenfold. Steel eyed and determined, he wasn't going to be pushed down or humiliated any more. His face hardened with resolve, eyes sharp with confidence and all his past pain was thrown behind him.

 _Beep…Beep… Zoom._  Nick's eyes blinked and then widened in horror, milliseconds before jerk encounter two hundred and seventy-three.


	10. Chapter 10

_"Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees,_

_That these are classic symptoms of a monetary squeeze."_

- **Chapter 10** -

.

"What does every Pred in this town want? An escape from everyday life, a place where the only rule is to have fun. A place, for them… A place called, Wild Times!"

With that flourish, Nick pulled up the cardboard box he had brought into the Lemming brothers bank and proudly revealed his miniature of the park. His eyes and voice radiated with pride as he showed off the painstakingly detailed icing on his presentation cake. Numerous signs and rides adorned the outside of the tiny warehouse, with small models of happy Preds milling about in the grounds. Sure, the final product would be a lot more 'secretive' than this, but it was the thought that counts.

"Ok, this is a fun zone amusement park exclusively for Zootopia's largest untapped market, Preds…" Nick carried on eagerly with both voice and arms working full tilt to sell the idea. Opening the blinds to the office window, Nick gestured out at the line of downbeat Predators he had seen waiting for a bus earlier, aiming to illustrate his point. The illustration went better than he could have ever imagined, catching the mammals just as a bus obnoxiously passed by and splashed them with gutter water. Just as all five mammal's collars went off in unison, sending the familiar sound of a buzz followed by muted yelps and grunts into the office, Nick turned back to the bank manager ready to complete the pitch.

"You know they say you can't put a price on happiness. Well, I say you can. Bang!," he said with a final flourish as he proudly plastered the price sticker on his model. "There it is, nineteen ninety-five a ticket. I have a building lined up, I have the plans, I have the staff…" he continued, gesturing over to Honey, Finnick and Clawhauser who were standing in their newly made Wild times uniforms. With their branded orange T-shirts, grey trousers and pith helmets, they showed off Nick's envisaged theme with a proud smile and an attentive salute (well, Clawhauser did at least).

"I have a dream," Nick carried on, "the only thing I don't have is a loan to make it happen friend. Will you help me make it happen?" Thrusting his right paw out and smiling proud, Nick glanced at the bank manager's emotionless expression before hearing the thud of a stamp. Looking down at his thick loan application, he could make out the red rejection print cruelly plastered onto it.

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"Will you help me make it happen?" Nick repeated, looking up at the giant elephant in charge of the Jumbo loans at the Sahara savings bank. While the fox had a wide and eager grin, the Elephant looking down at him was emotionless, his thin lips sealed and revealing no expression. After a few seconds, his whole body shook with the tremors resulting from the over-sized rejection stamp being brought down.

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"Will you help me make it happen?" he called up to the Giraffe at the Long term loans building. Even as the words were still echoing around the room, a rejection stamp with an extra-long handle was brought out and pushed down onto the application.

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"I'm just going to put it out on the table," Nick said, slyly changing his tactics towards a self-depreciating charm rather than the previous eager businessman. "You do not like mammals like me and I do not like mammals like you but what do we both like? We both like Money." Nick began rubbing his fingers together in front of the five rabbits at borrow burrow, signing to them that he shared in their monetary greed. Giving a cocky grin he pulled back and began pointing, towards them and him in turn, as he spoke. "You have it, I want to borrow it, and then we'll both make a lot of it. Hmmm?" Thrusting his paw forward as he smirked, he gave a fun laugh, but his smile faded as five rejections were immediately placed on his application.

.

"Desperate? Huh, I'm not desperate," Nick coolly, in more ways than one, reassured the caribou clerk at a tundra town bank. It evidently didn't work given the familiar response his application received.

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"I am desperate," Nick admitted to a zebra clerk in a different bank. Different bank, different mammal, same old response.

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"Look, I get it. No one wants to throw money down a rat hole," Nick began as he tried to pre-emptively unravel the pred-prey tension, only to then register that the rat clerk he was seeing might not like the analogy. "By that I mean no disrespect…" he urgently rushed out, attempting to undo any damage. From the hard thud of the same old stamp, it was evidently too late, as the very small business association became another name crossed off on Nick's long list.

.

"They say you can't put a price on happiness, I say hogwash!" The piggy bank clerk was evidently unimpressed with both the saying and the following swoon and paw gesture. As Nick nervously chuckled and attempted to undo the damage his slip of the tongue had caused, yet another rejection was stamped down.

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"I don't want to beat a dead horse…" Nick said before glancing up at the unimpressed mare behind the desk at J P Mare-gan. "I'm just going to leave…"

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A flurry of similar rejections was placed down at bank after bank after bank with a variety of differently dyed or shaped stamps. It didn't matter however, they all said the same thing and each time wore down Nick's resolve and determination further and further. After finally snapping slightly at a Slothoman brothers branch, where he physically tore the stamp from the sloth's hands and rejected his own loan (repeatedly) for him, Nick retreated to a nearby washroom. Filling a basin and scrubbing his face, desperately trying to wake himself up and clear out some of the pent up frustration that he’d picked up throughout the day, Nick looked on at his reflection in the mirror. The orange light around his neck painfully evident, Nick sighed and exhaled, letting the light fall back down to green.

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"It's not that it's a bad idea, it's… look. There's just too much risk in loaning to…" the large Hippo behind the desk carefully explained. Pausing for a moment, likely thinking about a polite way to break the news to Nick, she found her words and continued on. "…In loaning to mammals without credit."

Nick nervously chuckled slightly and looked up, desperate to charm her into understanding his difficult situation. "You see… the thing is I can't get credit, if you don't loan to me."

"Right, absolutely…" the lady replied, while planning the rest of her reply. "And we will be happy to loan to you when you do have the credit."

Looking on with annoyed, half lidded eyes, Nick silently grabbed his model and wandered off. He heard the Hippo asking whether he had tried any of the other banks behind him, and merely ignored the verbal salt in his wounds. He was defeated… unable to go on. Had he really expected Zootopia to have changed in the last twenty-five years? Surely he should have known that he had no more of a chance than his father had! The pain in his arms from hauling the model around all day was becoming acutely noticeable and Nick wondered why he was carrying the stupid thing around anyway. It was a silly dream, that was all, with a goofy model that had as much chance of success as Suitopia had! All of it a stupid dream that, in a moment of madness, he had thought was achievable. Idiot!

The prey had succeeded and taken his thunder, stripping him back down to nothing where he was destined to always be. As he wandered down the steps, Nick saw his three friends turn and look at him with… smiles on their faces? Finnick, Clawhauser and Honey, all eager and ready to congratulate him for his success. He couldn't respond to them, break their proud little hearts, but his silence and despondent look did it for him. As Nick watched on, he saw the eagerness and hope on his companion's faces melt away like snow on the windshield of the TundraTown to Sahara square express. They had believed in Wild times too… and in him. Through all the crap they knew they faced, they’d believed in him…

 Nick had been ready to throw in the towel then and there and then but… he couldn't. He could do it to himself, sure, but his friends and companions? For their sake, he had to keep trying and there was one more place to check with before he could call this entire farce quits. And so, hunkering down as he entered Tundra Town square, Nick looked up at the imposing frontage of Snow Bank. But it was a dim light in a narrow alley to his right that truly caught his attention. Nick never wanted to take a loan from this place, he had heard the stories, hadn’t everyone? But he was out of options and needs must as the devil drives. Strolling up to the solitary light, Nick knocked several times on the cold steel door by its side, the dull metallic bang ringing out into the air. The world was deathly silent for a moment, before a thin grate slid open, revealing a pair of imposing eyes that stared out harshly from behind their owners misting breath.

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"…And, uh, I call it Wild times. I have the plans… I have the staff… and I have a dream," Nick wearily repeated, so very tired from so many previous failings. He breathed in and exhaled before finishing his pitch in a plain, sad voice and with none of his previous charm or confidence. "The only thing I don't have is the loan, to make it happen. Will you help me make it happen?"

The response came in the form of a wad of cash being slammed down by heavy white paws. It slid across the icy table and into Nick's hands. Barely unable to register what had happened, Nick looked up at the fearsome members of the polar bear mafia staring at him from the other side of the table. A smile growing on Nick's face, his collar flicked orange. From fear or excitement, he couldn't tell.

.

.

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It was with three heavy hits that the sign, proudly announcing that this was the future site of Wild times, was hammered into place. It was a bit of a joke to be sure, with Nick not wanting to bring too much ‘overt’attention to the club in the long run. Never the less, he wanted there to be at least some token gesture to show that this was a new beginning. That this was the future. That this was the moment that they, in some way, stood up to the Prey mammals. Nick chuckled slightly, thinking about what pose to strike. Maybe in the future they’d make a film about him, and all the great things he’d done. Delusions of grandeur aside, the Red Fox held his head high and let the sea breeze ruffle through his fur. The sea was to his right, the waves crashing against the dock wall and the refreshing smell of salt filling his nose. In the distance was the great city itself, Zootopia. Shining beacon of misery and hate. Behind that, on the far side of the dock, stood the Oasis stadium, shimmering in the distance like a splash on the water. Beside it lay gardens, sport venues and amusement parks, all pointless for Preds like him. But he’d show them, he’d show them all. As Nick moved forward to the open front doors of the hanger and looked up, his three friends behind him, at the cavernous interior of the great hall in all its glory. "Knowing the stories about Kozlov, I think we'd better get moving," Nick announced to his companions in earnest, before rubbing his hands and marching in with glee.

.

Time moved fast as work progressed, individual moments standing out like pictures. Over the next few nights, a large flatbed truck driven by Finnick hauled in surplus arcades and rides purchased on the cheap. Piling up in the shelter of the hall, they were joined by a truck with a crane on its back, a very excited Finnick at its helm. The Fennec had always been a car nut, and he seem to regress in age by two and a half decades as he relived what was almost a boyhood fantasy. Honey was there too, glancing at the various components with eager glee and curiosity. Errant electrical wires and huge piles of gears, all covered in grease and rust; the Honey badger was undeterred by all of this, ready to assemble them all into position. Once she'd finished attaching individual name tags to each and all of her shiny new tools, of course.

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All four were spending time on their computers at Honey's apartment, studying intently at the online medical course that was the linchpin of their plan. They just needed one of their members to succeed, but the more that did meant the more keys they would have and the faster they could deal with the crowds. Besides, none of them wanted the business to go bust if their only key broke. From left to right, Clawhauser was taking notes from a web page while listening to his I-Pawd; Finnick and Nick were watching a lecture online and nodding their head in agreement at the various points while Honey sat watching a video about the appropriate use of medical cones, all the while systematically disassembling a set of pens with the resultant components laid out and ordered neatly on her desk. The others had argued with her at first, but she’d soon put them in her place. Both she, and her sister Madge, had wanted to become vets since when they were young. But as Honey badgers, their notorious reputation preceded them and Honey had failed to get even an invitation to one of the universities. Madge was luckier however, and her sister had practically done the course with her to help at least one of their family reach their dreams. So, Madge had become a nurse and eventually got hired at Zootopia Penitentiary, the infamous ‘Zoo’. The upside was the Honey knew her stuff, and even if she didn’t she had a memory like a sponge when she wanted it, she’d be the most likely to pass. Whatever happened, all four knew that at least one of them would pass the exam.

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Nick and Clawhauser were tearing out the old interior of the fastfood joint above the park, chucking scraps of furniture, plaster and rubble into a nearby skip. It was hard work but vital, with the strategically placed building destined to become their businesses front. But the remodelling needed was intense, although not without its financial benefits. A chubby Hog was looking on intently at the reasonable selection of commercial kitchen equipment for sale in the car park, eyeing over the steamers and fryers with greedy eyes. Meanwhile, on the worn out roof of the building, Honey was adding new roof felt while Finnick scooped several decades of muck out from the gutters and into a waiting bucket, once more in his factory scrubs and once more covered in gunk.

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Inside, the hulking skeleton of the roar-a-coaster was fully locked together with Nick and Honey tightening the last bolts as they hung from the roof on wires and harnesses. Finnick looked on, saluting from his crane cabin having moved the last piece into position just like he’d done with all the others. The control systems and lift chain would still need fitting and testing, along with the electrics and controls, but the milestone was still impressive. The coaster filled the back of the hall, dominating the space and putting everything into perspective. Nick’s research had paid off, the thing fitting in and around both the old office box and the lowered water pit perfectly. Meanwhile, Clawhauser was pushing a tray filled with a large number of brightly coloured boxes into said office at the back, badly failing to be inconspicuous.

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The bare inside of the office was filled with decorations and other memorabilia as Honey and Clawhauser hoisted Nick onto their shoulders. All mammals were grinning with merriment (and all collars shining orange too), they each wore bright party hats on their heads (although Honey's was covered in metal foil) and held bits of cake up in their hands. Behind them, the words 'Happy 31'st Nick' were written out on a banner in primary colours. Nick had been so engrossed with the last month of work that he’d forgotten about his birthday, he hadn’t even given the fact that today was the 14th of April any thought. But his friends had remembered and put on a special party just for him. As he leapt off his shoulders and tore open the first present, smiling with glee at the sight of fresh blueberries from the burrows, Nick looked at his friends and put his arms around them, pulling them all into a tight hug.

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All four were down in Honey's bunker, looking bored as they shared notes and peeked into their textbooks. Pens scribbled away and quiet words were muttered as the revision session went on. Every now and again, one of the boys would raise their hands and Honey would come over, talking through a point and explaining what they’d gotten wrong or dictating the right answer. There was a loud ringing that brought all four to attention, and the group scrabbled up the ladder and out into the kitchen. While Honey closed the hatch to hide her secret hideaway, Nick opened the door to see a bedraggled hunting dog, his fur soaked through and teeth chattering, holding several pizza boxes. Nick smiled and took the delivery off of him, handing him a note in return. The dog glanced at the payment and then took a double take, his eyes widening and collar beeping up as he saw the number on it. Nick just smiled and winked, closing the door as the large canine smiled back. Throwing the food onto the table and opening it up, the intense scents of BBQ-mealworm feast and fruit-de-mer pizza become overwhelming. All four looked on salivating, before grabbing their slices and digging in.

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The interior of Wilde times was a mess, the many arcades and rides draped in protective white cloth or blue tarpaulin to protect them from the omnipresent construction dust that filled the air. The four mammals, each hanging from the roof by wires and with masks covering their muzzles, were busy doing maintenance to the roof structure. Sanding down the many beams, repainting them in new colours and fitting new lights. They would need them sooner, rather than later, when the time came to black up the windows to hide the internal activity from prying eyes. A sound system was going in too, ready to blare out energetic songs and music to help keep the thrill alive. After some argument by both Nick and Clawhauser, it was decided that Finnick would oversee the future soundtrack. The Fennec already had quite a large collection and was able to avoid putting in his own favourites, like French rap. It was something that couldn’t be said for the other two boys who tried to push their own personal taste at all times, although Finnick had conceded that a few of Nick’s tunes were energetic enough to go in. Clawhauser didn’t get that chance, however, with the desert fox making it clear that none of his glitzy pop would be contaminating his planned rock-fest.

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Inside the 'clinic', the redecorations were well underway. A room was being painted white by Nick while, in the background, Clawhauser and Finnick stood by a rotating section of wall. Messing around with wires and motors, they were seeking advice from Honey who had busied herself digging a tunnel behind them. Pausing, with her pickaxe above her head, she mentioned something about switching the direction of a relay before returning to her work, the pickaxe dropping back down into the rock with a sharp clang. It would be a tough job, but she promised that she would get through the foundations and out to the nearby cliff in less than a month. After that, a few bits of metal and wood and the link between the businesses front and the real deal would be complete.

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Back in the office again, Nick, Finnick and Clawhauser, wearing goofy hats, were trying to console a crying Honey who was tucked into the large chair. Her hand around her neck, she was hunched over and sticking her other hand out, trying to shoo the others away and get some peace and quiet. In one corner of the room lay a small stack of presents and a pink cake with two candles, one a three and the other one, in it.

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The four mammals were stood either side of the roar-a-coaster tracks, looking up perplexed. Above them stood the inverted carts of the ride, sent off on their maiden voyage just moments ago, frozen in place at the top of the loop. Finnick had one eyebrow down and one raised in confusion, his head cocking as he tried to figure out what had gone wrong, before his gaze fixed on a bolt that had just come loose and was in the middle of a fall.

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Up, high above the main floor, Nick and Clawhauser stood on a thin ledge. Attached to the curving roof supports by harnesses, they cautiously slid forward a wooden truss towards a waiting support. Behind them, a whole line of trusses stretched back into the distance creating a pathway that would soon curve all the way around the park. In the background, Finnick in his crane was lifting up what looked like the top of a palm tree, complete with fake green fronds, fake coconuts and with an assortment of platforms and a mechanism hanging below it. It swayed in the air as it was moved across, before being lowered into place on top of a similarly styled tower. At the same time, Honey stood with a welder's mask on by the roar-a-coaster, a flurry of sparks falling beneath her as she busied herself with the repairs. Beneath her mask, her face was full of grit and determination. She was not going to be embarrassed like last time. She was going to make this coaster work if it was the last thing she did.

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The four were in a large examination hall, all hunched over their papers and concentrating intently as they filled them in. Joining them were hundreds of other students from hundreds of species, although no other preds were present. There were a good number of odd looks from several of other students, but once they got over the novelty they turned back to their work. The invigilators, who walked back and forth across the polished wood and painted court lines, seemed much more interested and kept the gang almost constantly in their sights. One in particular, a hulking great wildebeest, stood almost continuously behind Nick, peering over and standing sentinel. He hadn’t seen any cheating yet, but he wanted to be sure. Nick, meanwhile, just ignored him and carried on filling in his questions. He had bigger things to worry about than yet another speciesist mammal, for instance listing the symptoms of a swollen Ocelot spleen.

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Inside Wilde times, Honey stood up proud over the controls of the roar-a-coaster as she sent the cart up the main ramp. Latching onto the clattering chain, it rose up high before diving down and racing off down the track, banking, diving and rising with not a fault in sight. Slightly to the left, a large sign was slowly being painted in by Finnick. Already, an old-fashioned polaroid camera, complete with a giant bulb flash, held by a maroon paw could be made out. Further back, Nick and Clawhauser were busy fidgeting with one of the arcades. Its front ajar, wires and spare TV screens were jumbled out onto the floor as the two mammals tried to fix it. Wires went here and there while barely relevant manuals were followed. There were the occasional sparks, flashes and even the odd success or two. It was a good thing that Foxes were said to have a knack with electrics, something Nick knew to be true. While not well publicised, red and artic foxes were some of the few mammals that could tangibly detect magnetic fields, which manifested themselves as blurry shadows. Apparently, it evolved to help his ancestors find north, using the point to line up snow dives for prey. While Nick, nor any other Fox, had any intention of using it for its old purpose it did have some benefits. The fact that not a whiff of dreaded blue smoke had been seen being chief among them.

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The old fast food restaurant now looked completely different. Painted up in white with a 'speedy-care' sign fixed above the entrance, it looked fully reputable. The windows were clean, inside there was new carpeting while the outside walls were freshly rendered. The cracked and decrepit parking lot had been cleared of weeds, while new lines were painted outside. In the foreground, all four mammals lay on the floor, nursing their necks but with big grins on their faces. Each of them held a brown envelope in their hands, white papers sticking out of the top.

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Inside a busy dance club filled predominantly with other predators, Honey was handing Finnick a CD case with a cursory bow tied around it. He smiled back and thanked her, before taking a swig of a nearby shot glass and waving her towards the dancefloor. With a grin, she complied and picked up a suddenly surprised Fennec under her arm, making her way over to a nearby spot. The music wasn’t that slow, but it wasn’t the blaring techno found in most prey clubs. It wasn’t hard rock either, with the concept of a pred mosh-pit being completely ludicrous. Instead, a mix of synth and acoustic came out with the beats half a second apart or so. The guitar chords and restrained drumming were met with the deep lyrics of the bands singer and backers. His words were simple but clear, thoughtful rather than the usual banal but not steeped in meaning or anything. Standard pred affair, with the standard restrained dancing of Preds accompanying it. It was the stuff you’d like in the background or on a long car ride, but it was hard to get excited about it (although that was sort of the point). In the background, Clawhauser and Nick were whispering in the ears of various predator patrons. Whoever they talked too had wide eyes, a big grin and an orange collar, with their hands and tail shaking with excitement.

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The crane that had lived in Wilde-times throughout the whole building phase was finally being driven out into the open by Finnick. Behind him, Nick and Clawhauser looked on at the interior of their creation while patting each other on the back. From outside, the internal darkness hid what lay within. At the threshold, however, the two mammals could see inside and had never been prouder. They had created something glorious, something brilliant, and soon it would go into operation. There was just one more thing they needed, the most important thing of all.

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In a medical waiting room, many fittings and shelves still being put in place, Clawhauser squirmed with glee as he looked on. On the new reception desk that had just been fitted, lay a host of gifts. One present, a signed Gazelle autobiography, lay nestled between his shoulder and neck. Another, a massive box of donuts, stood open and inviting on the desk. The final one, just being opened and with everyone looking on in anticipation, contained a mass of plastic packing peanuts with four unassuming plastic devices nestled inside.


	11. Chapter 11

 

_"Come up and see me, make me smile,_

_Do what you want, running wild."_

- **Chapter 11** -

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The sun was setting when the first car nervously pulled up to the clinic. Stepping out of the beat-up vehicle tenderly, a white adult Wolf looked around before gesturing for his family to join him. Nervously following him across the forecourt, a white she Wolf and the three young pups were led inside the speedy care. The inside reception was bare bones to say the least, with a cheap veneer desk and a few cursory shelves with medical brick-a-back on them, and in it stood Nick in a doctor's uniform.

"Welcome to speedy care," he announced smugly, "I will be your vet tonight, please follow me and take your seat. I'll then give you your menu and direct you to the specials board."

The father wolf tilted his head sharply and looked on quizzically for a second, before speaking up, "You said… uh… that you specialised in neck pains here."

Nick merely chuckled back in returned, "my friend… those are our piece de resistance, come with me."

Nick, waving them forward excitedly, led the five wolves onwards and into the back room. There was a grinding sound, before five bumps rang out, followed by whoops of joy. Nick wandered back to his desk and sat down, rubbing his hands happily. He paused for a moment as his phone beeped. Bringing it up, he looked at an update on his furbook feed. It showed a post from a familiar white wolf called Ash Fangmeyer, an old acquaintance of his who once wanted to be a beat cop before he learned that Preds weren't allowed to take that role. The post had no images, no videos, just two words written in block capitals: 'IT'S REAL!'. Nick paused for a moment, before his ears pricked up at the sound of hundreds of cars suddenly arriving. Gulping slightly, he stood up as the horde marched in.

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The long line began flowing through, entirely comprised of Pred's whose size ranged from the largest Polar bears to the smallest Weasels. The crowd included the old and the young, boys and girls, huge families and solitary individuals. All were waved onwards by Nick as they hurried on past, eager to get their first taste of unadulterated joy since the fateful day of their fifth birthday. Peeking out the window, Nick could see that the car park was already full and, as the queue vanished into the back of the speedy care, he called out for Honey (who had been outside, helping to direct the cars).

"We're not going to miss this for the world, Honeybun!" he cried as they both raced off to follow the line. Speeding into the examination room at the back and jumping into the top of a waiting slide, they were both grinning profusely as they vanished down to the park below.

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Shooting out of the darkness, Nick landed on his feet and slid to a stop. Face filled with awe and his collar bright orange, he looked on silently for a moment at the sight in front of him. All the predators were milling around collarless, feeling their necks or massaging those of others. Deafening roars rang out as several Lions began exercising their lungs in ways they could never imagine. At the same time, a howl rang out from one of the wolf cubs. It was short and sweet, the high pitched wail cutely wavering about as its owner attempted to hone it down to the more familiar mournful cry. The effect, however, was immediate as the other wolves in attendance pricked their ears before howling out themselves. The cry waved across the crowd with all wolves in attendance joining in. Scratch that, all mammals were now joining in and howling in enjoyment and excitement. Calling out and beating their chests, they were loving it already! What was most amazing of all was the fact that this was just them without their collars on, they hadn't even seen the actual attraction, which was currently hidden behind the Tiki style walls of the collar check.

Nick and Honey both slipped forward through the crowd and stepped up to the collar check, manned by a collarless Finnick and Clawhauser. One of the last customers in, a large brown bear, had just sat down at a bench to be attended to. Finnick scurried up to his neck level, collar remover in hand, and pressed the button. With a sudden click, the collar was released and Finnick took it away, throwing it up onto one of the many hooks on the back wall while the bear noted down its co-ordinates on a piece of paper. Collar already orange from excitement, Nick stepped up and shot a smug grin as Finnick came back ready to do the same process again. The little Fennec paused for a moment, growling slightly as he gazed furiously at Nick.

"You really shouldn't be making so many stupid bets now, should you?" Nick jibed smugly, looking down at the exceedingly cute smaller Fox. Wearing a white and blue nurses outfit (complete with hat and skirt) that likely came from a spare doll, Finnick gave Nick a death stare before screaming out.

"SCREW YOU NICK, INSULTING MY DIGNITY IN FRONT OF ALL THESE MAMMALS! I'LL… I'll"

Finnick stopped for a moment in confusion and tapped his neck, before he looked up and jumped at Nick, throwing his arms around his neck. The larger Fox pulled back, with his mouth reflexively opening to gasp for air and eyes widening, before he paused and looked down. Finnick was hugging his neck (the only part of the Red Fox he could fully embrace) and actually smiling. Looking up, he gave a chuckle, which soon escalated into a laugh that rolled out from the depths of his lungs.

"I'll bite your face off later tonight, Bro," he finally managed, as he calmed down into just a good mood. And with that, Finnick took out his collar key and undid Nick's collar. He gave Nick a second hug, before patting him along, leaving his friend to enjoy his free neck for the first time since the doctor's appointment that had set this whole thing off. The howl had since dissipated, with the crowd left chatting to themselves joyously and simply enjoying the moment. Nick moved over to the front of the crowd, a spring in his step as he went and, deciding that the time was right, he climbed up a nearby support and spoke up.

"Fellow Chompers!" he cried out ecstatically, eliciting cheers from the crowd as they turned looked at him.

"I must say, you all have lovely necks!"

The Crowd's scream got loader, with many of the mammals banging their feet on the floor with anticipation. The ground shook with each impact, many of the mammals doing it just for the pleasure of feeling the blood surge around their body, carrying years of repressed adrenaline to each and every starved part.

"Are you enjoying your intense emotions!"

The cacophony of noise was getting loader and loader as it went on. Cries and calls and screams and roars and howls and all sorts of sounds, their energy building up and up, ready to release at a moments notice.

"Well, if you're this happy now, I don't see why I needed all this stuff in the first place!" Nick turned around and tore open a screen made of fake vines, revealing the park beyond. Almost instantly the sounds of excitement peaked as the mammals charged forward and past Nick. Racing to the numerous rides and attractions, they all wore massive grins on their faces as they each picked which attraction they wished to go on. Nick was too stunned to speak for a moment, overwhelmed by the intensity of joy he had just seen. Friends, acquaintances, strangers… they had all just burst at the seams as years of repressed feelings had bubbled back to the surface as if they had never been restrained in the first place. Nick turned back to his three best friends, who were also glowing with wonder, staring on wide eyed at what they had done. They nodded and they all turned to follow the crowd. Passing his own likeness, drawn on wood with a playful smile and paws pointing him on, Nick saw Wild times complete, running and in all its magnificent glory.

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Stepping into the park proper, Nick's grin began to widen as he caught the beat of the music calling from the loudspeakers up above. His ears caught another sound, piercing through the loud energetic tunes and he turned his head and chuckled. In one corner of Wild times, a small alcove had been set up and decorated with purple paint, black tree silhouettes and yellow stars. A large spherical shipping buoy, painted white and grey like the moon (with the occasional limpet adding some nice texture), hung above and rotated slowly while illuminated via spot lamps. Four ancient TV screens stood at various positions, with the eternal lyrics, or in this case lyric, continually repeating. 'Woooo!' it read, and the ten or so wolves nearby were all too happy to comply in the 'Howl along'. Each one was howling at the top of their lungs, their individual voices competing with each other's, with their arms tucked meekly into their chests. Heads pointed straight up and eyes welded together in pure and primeval ecstasy, they were reclaiming their birth right and heritage. Nick gave them a quick salute, and left them to it as his gaze moved on.

A younger Wolf, by the looks of it one of Fangmeyer's pup's, was sticking her head out of an old car door's window. A large fan, blowing at full power, pulled her eyes open and ears back while her askew tongue flopped about excitedly in the breeze. The wind whipped through her fur, shooting through the strands and caressing the skin beneath. As she leaned out and her neck hit the flow, her eyes rolled up and eyelids fluttered in ecstasy. Nick remembered just how great the breeze from the armadillo moving by had been when his collar was removed, this was that turned up to eleven. It must have been indescribable. Pausing for a moment, the pup saw Nick go past and stuck her hand out to wave, before deciding that playing around with it in the air stream was also very, very fun. As she let her paw flutter and pivot in the breeze, Nick surveyed the area and tried to find the girls sisters.

It didn’t take long to find one, her jaws firmly clamped around one of the balls on tethers of the 'Dangle Dingo'. Her feet hanging in the air, she was spun around by the attraction along with several other fellow canines. Her limbs and tail danced and fanned around, shaking her flying (sort of) body up and down as it continually spun in circles. The final sister suddenly ran into view and immediately jumped while screaming like a pup (although, she had a perfectly good excuse). She landed on a nearby trampoline and bounced off it, spinning so her back slammed into the Velcro wall of the Jump-N-stick. Laughing from the adrenaline, she wiggled slightly before her eyes widened awkwardly from the sensation of her fur slowly unhooking as she peeled off. Her gaze focussed in on Nick and their eyes met for a moment, before she playfully stuck her tongue out. The fox chuckled and did so to, bringing his paw up to his nose and wiggling his fingers at her in playfully mockery. She scowled back at him angrily, but before she could react the Velcro gave way and she flopped off the wall before. Within seconds, she was up again and raced past Nick to do it all again.

Moving his gaze on, the Fox saw two pine martins, by the looks of it on a date, who were busy enjoying themselves at a dancing arcade. It had been purchased by Nick on the cheap and saved from the scrapheap. It took him and Clawhauser days to repair and the colour was still just a little bit off. Could these love-struck Preds enjoy it with their collars still on? Sure. Did it really have a place in a proper theme park? Not really. Was it a decent bit of filler that cost essential nothing? Yes, yes it was. Themed up a bit as 'So you think can you prance?', it was a quiet laugh for Preds looking for a bit of collar free downtime or competition. Besides, there would be no way that you could do some of the crazier moves without red-lighting yourself.

Wandering on, Nick passed 'Laser Tag'. It was one of Clawhausers creations, in both conception, design and construction, and Nick was proud of what had been done. A large Jaguar was at the front of the open box, picking up the laser gun. A simple laser pen stuck on a hairdryer, it shot a red light onto the wall of the attraction and, within moments, a clowder of fascinated felines was attempting to catch it. The jaguar flicked the light around, moving it here, there and everywhere, while the other cats excitedly pounced and leapt after it, instincts coursing freely as they tried to capture their illusive prey. The entire thing soon descended into a twister like farce as their limbs crossed each other and got tied up. The jaguar, with a sly grin on his muzzle, pointed the dot on the cats themselves and within seconds they were knotted together tighter than two foxes on their wedding night.

Glancing over to the other side of the hall, Nick watched as a fluffy artic Fox lied down on a painted wooden board. There was a sudden snap and he went flying, off the 'cat'-apult and all the way over the rest of the park before landing in the soft lap of an inflatable bear. He slowly got back on to his feet, legs trembling slightly, before he screamed and ran back to have another go.

A sudden crack perked up the red fox’s ears and made him wince, before he looked up and saw yet another attraction in full swing. He had just missed the start of the Cheetah run and could barely keep his head up to speed as he followed the Big cats around. In far better shape than Clawhauser, they whizzed down to one end of the hall before jumping down to a platform below them. They continued on, primal adrenaline coursing through their toned muscles with each and every massive stride as they kicked up dust behind their tracks. Their claws digging in to the running track, they lent to their right as they entered one of the corners, turning tightly as they ran along the opposite end of the hall. Turning again, they roared past Nick and through the final bend, racing past the finish line in a dead heat. It didn’t matter though because as they came to a halt, hands on their knees for support and panting heavily, they all felt like winners.

His head already held high, Nick glanced over to the top of the Otter slide high up above. Decorated like a giant tree, its top platform hosted a water tank slowly being filled by a bucket chain. Otters were riding up in each bucket before stepping out onto a platform and then leaping into a metal flume. They shot down the slide, jiggling and whooping about in the tube as they went, before they were dumped with a splash into the waiting pool of inviting water below.

Following a wire from the Otter slide's main motor, the 'Catch me if you can' came into view. Like the Cheetah run, this was a test of pure speed. The participants lined up on the old, repurposed carousel and began sprinting forward after the dummy sheep, muscles coursing with adrenaline and energy as their breath raced in and out. Those lucky enough were already getting their max speed placed on the record board while all those participating provided some additional power to the park.

A ringing bell caught Nick's attention and, looking over, he spotted a polar bear biting down hard on a fake burger at a bite strength tester rescued from the speedycare of all places. It had been an old bugburga joint earlier in its life, and in the back-store room Finnick had found it rotting away. The little measuring bar had shot all the way past otter, fox, badger, wolf and even grizzly bear, firmly planting it right at the top of the scale. Meanwhile the tail of an uncharacteristically chirpy Woodwacker, who had been immortalised as a painted visage, was spinning rapidly with excitement. Nick looked over his shoulder before sauntering up to him, clearing his throat before giving his former boss a piece of his mind.

“WOODWACKER YOU PIECE OF TIMBER GNAWING FILTH. I’M LOOKING AT YOU, ONE LESS TAIL SPUN THAN I PAY YOU FOR AND IT’S THE PARK BENCH FOR YOU!”

His mouth suddenly hoarse from the screaming, Nick chuckled and held his clenched paw tight in satisfaction, only to turn and spot a host of mammals looking on behind him. Gulping slightly from the awkwardness, he suddenly cocked his head in confusion as he realised that they all looked familiar. And then it hit him.

“Long time no see Wilde, we’ve been missing you back at the plant,” a youngish Hyena said, his paw up and waving at Nick with the others following suit.

“Long time no see too guys!” Nick responded back, smiling and waving before showing them on to the bite-strength tester.

“Yup, you’ve definitely been busy,” the Hyena said as he walked past, before chuckling slightly. “Mind if I…?”

“Go ahead,” Nick responded, before waving his old co-worker on. The Hyena smiled and walked forward, clearing his throat slightly before addressing the beaver.

“HOW DARE YOU CALL ME UGLY YOU BUCKTEETHED GOOD FOR NOTHING SCRAP OF HAT MATERIAL…!”

As Nick left the hyena, and the rest of the crowd, to hurl abuse at the painted beaver, he looked to the right and noticed a line of various foxes, wolves and cats who were all slinking into the nocturnal maze. Occasional sounds and puffs signalled that the primitive spooking and scaring devices were fully functioning, with the fact that those exiting sported huge grins or giggles only confirming as much.

A large clatter pricked his ears and he peered up. The Tundra express was starting its journey from one end of the hall to the other. Beneath a giant metal, cloth and paper-mache flying fox (aka. Nick with aviator goggles under a hang glider), a basket carried several relaxing mammals, all munching on cotton candy and other treats. Peering out and gazing at the crowd below, they took turns waving at friends and family while enjoying a quiet moment in which to savour their freedom.

As he walked on, Nick's foot hit something and, looking down, he spotted an errant ball of yarn. He grabbed it and threw it over into the nearby ball of yarn pit, just as a Serval shot out of the nearby slide and into the woolly embrace. She was under for a few seconds before rising out in a shower of multi-coloured wool. Stumbling away from the slide, she slipped and rolled onto her back before deciding she quite liked where she was. Picking up a nearby ball of yarn, she gleefully began fussing with the it using all four paws. Behind her, on the left hand wall, stood lines of arcades, pin ball machines and various other attractions such as a whack-a-mole or skee ball. Many mammals, who had been too timid to try the other rides, were loitering around these. Simply happy enough to be out of their collars, they talked, cracked jokes and rough housed slightly as they waited for their go.

Nick watched as several otters scurried in front of him towards 'Go-fishing'. They, and several other mammals all had magnetic fishing poles and were enjoying a fun game of fake angling. It was made even more fun by the little electric motors and propellers in each fake fish, courtesy of Honey, which meant the little mustelids had to yank and strain at their rods in order to bring their booty home. A group of them had already caught something big and, together, pulled it back as if they were in a tug of war team. Their catch, a fake Marlin, came close to the surface and began spraying them with water as it tried to dive back to safety. It was futile, however, as the now soaking wet otters hauled it out and cheered in celebration. Together, they picked it up and posed, ready for a bystander to take a photo of them and their catch.

Talking of fish, the nearby upstream attraction was in full swing. A large grizzly bear was running backwards on a large log which was flinging up rubber fish in front of him. Desperately trying to catch them all in his paws, he slipped backwards and plummeted into the water. Rising out, he saw his catch of fish fall down and return to the water around him, but he managed to defiantly grab the final one in his jaws. He stood and shook it around violently as if it were real, proud to have wrestled a single noble victory from the jaws of defeat. As another bear jumped onto upstream, a third was growling happily back on the left hand side of the hall at the Sniff-N-Scratch. He was rubbing his itchy back on the bark a fake tree, grinning happily as he did so. Other types of fake tree stood nearby, all with mammals rubbing against them as they satisfyingly scratched carnal itches that had previously evaded their hands.

There was a rumble and then screams began. Looking up, Nick spotted the final car of the roar-a-coaster tip over the top of the main hill before beginning its decent down. Rattling as it went along the tracks, the car shot down and picked up speed before spiralling to the right, its riders gripping on in their seats tight. Turning around and diving beneath itself, it dropped further as it brushed the top of the internal water pool. Sprinklers turned on, giving the illusion that they were splashing through the water and covering the thrill seekers inside in mist, before they rose up again. They banked hard to the left, then the right, then the left again before rising up; on each occasion pulling the faces of the riding mammals around into funny shapes. Their world went upside down as they reached the peak of the loop before they shot down again. Passing beneath the photo station (signalled by a giant picture of Nick holding a camera), their unbridled joy and excitement was permanently captured in film as they carried on towards the last few hills and turns, screaming out as they went.

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_Clap, clap, clap, clap…._

Nick paused, realising that much of the screaming and excitement had died down somehow, replaced with applause. He glanced around, trying to get his bearings and see what was going on, only to see hundreds of eyes looking his way.

_Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap…_

Many of the customers were gathering around him, pausing their revelry to have a look at the Fox who had made it happen. Many held big grins and raised fists, many more were making a lot of noise.

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP…

They were clapping, no, they were cheering! All the Pred's, all his fellow kind… Here they were, giving their loudest thanks to the one of them who had dared to dream! Nick's face opened in ecstasy, living in the moment, as he marched proudly forward. Glancing around at the valley of mammals forming around him, he felt countless hearty pats on the back (one, likely from a polar bear, belted him forward several meters) and gave out innumerable high fives to the point that his paw pads began aching. As he approached the steep steps to his office, nestled above the gift shop and in the midst of the roar-a-coasters twisting track, a sharp whistle caught his ears. Glancing up, he spotted a Leopard on one of the trapezes swinging towards him. Nick held his hand up high and their paws met before they both carried on. Looking back to see the big cat give him an upside down salute, and the rest of the crowd cheering at him even louder, Nick saluted back with a giant grin on his face as he spun around, taking in the entire scene. Drowning in joy… drowning in excitement… his head barely comprehending what was going on, he climbed up and entered his office, giving a last wave to the crowd.

The space was decent, although all the furniture was naturally tatty (this hadn't been a priority part of the project). Slinking through bits and pieces of material, Nick wandered over to his massive wooden desk. Passing by a window and looking out, he glanced another cart go past on the roar-a-coaster, its occupants waving back at him with joy and thanks. Nick waved back, feeling so proud and so great about everything and anything, before leaping back onto his oversized office chair and spinning around giggling, like a school kit. As the room spun around him, it slowed before Nick was left looking at the back wall of the office. Most of it was taken up by a giant plastic W sign, half filled with old fashioned lightbulbs. It had come from one scrapheap or other, and Nick had seen no reason in not keeping it in case two I's, an L, a D, a T, an M, an E and an S also turned up (luck so far getting nothing but three X's of all things.) In front of the giant W stood a battered metal filling cabinet and a rickety set of shelves. The latter carried all manner of brick-a-back: paint cans, brushes, jars of pickled food, binders full of notes, stacks of promotional fliers, merchandise (such as a trendy Nick's head mug), a potted plant and a picture in a frame. Nick paused, his eyes hovering over the last item, a photograph of three smiling Foxes.

.

Stepping out of his chair, Nick walked over to the picture, slowly fondling his tie with his left paw for comfort all the time. He tentatively leant forwards and took hold of it with his right paw, carrying the dusty photograph of his family towards him while the noise outside began to fade.

' _' make me proud son… make me as proud as you've done already…_ " came an old and sad voice, echoing through Nick's mind and blocking out all other sound. Hearing it pricked Nick's ears, his eyelids rising slightly and nose twitching. His ears and eyes drooped down again as he blinked, tears beginning to drip from his newly moist eyes.

"I did it Paps…" Nick whispered, half chuckling and half crying, "I didn't stop dreaming and look at this silly thing I've gone and dreamt up. I hope… I hope I made you and Mum proud…"

He leant back into his chair and cradled the picture in his arms, wrapping it up with his tail, arms and legs like it was the most precious thing in the world. There was silence for a moment as Nick looked upwards at the ceiling, teary eyed and his mouth trembling, all the time fussing with his tie. Shaking as a stifled sob came out, sounding more like a 'guffaw' or something than anything else, Nick suddenly pulled back defensively with his eyes scrunching closed and teeth bared. He thrust the photograph face down onto the deck and began breathing in and out slowly and deeply, his entire body steeling itself for the oncoming agony. His right arm, the other one still fondling the tie, had shot up after placing down the photograph, its paw now holding his neck skin tight. There was a pause, and then it tentatively unclenched before beginning to brush the region nervously. He’d just been super naughty… but the pain hadn’t come. His eyes and mouth opening up again, Nick took his paw off his neck and reached forward, gently picking up the photograph and holding it in front of him. Staring intently at it, at the three smiling faces, Nick managed a weak smile before cuddling back up with it like before. Wiggling into the cosy seat of his chair, Nick’s teary eyes closed again and his head tilted up to the sky, as the first sob came out of his muzzle.

From outside the office, in the midst of the excited sounds of the park, a few mammals ears pricked as they just about heard the loud sobs beginning to ring out. Those sobs soon matured into full on bawling, the screams and guttural cries pouring out in an unrelenting tidal wave of emotion, as if a young child who had just lost everything precious to him was in there. It wasn’t far from the truth and, as an eight year old Kit’s cries finally rang out, they echoed around the great hall, dissipating into the beckoning background noise from where they passed by the happy mammals' ears without being noticed by anyone, their fun and joy carrying on regardless in gay abandon.

Inside the office, the trembling glass on top of the photograph was soon obscured by a shimmering layer of moisture and errant strands of fur as tears relentlessly rained down on it from above, blurring the three happy faces into a featureless mass of red and orange. The whole thing shook along with the mammal who held it, his lungs racking hard as scream after scream escaped his wide-open muzzle.

 Meanwhile, three concerned mammals gathered together at the bottom of the stairs, their ears pricked up and picking up the sounds. With each and every raw emotion in each and every painful scream and cry; they were hit with pangs of sadness and compassion for their dear friend. A worried cheetah began walking forward, closely followed by a scruffy Honey badger. The former planted his foot on the first step before turning back, looking down at a tiny Fennec Fox. The diminutive mammal shook his head slowly from side to side, before looking up with a tiny trembling grin on his face and one arm outstretched, his thumb raised up. Nodding in understanding and agreement, the cheetah stepped back down and, as the bawling continued, he led the confused Honey badger away. The three carried on together, walking in the midst of all the fun and happiness, before gently dissipating off and vanishing into it.

.

By the time Nick had finished, the entire place was deathly quiet. He looked out of the window in his office to see that Wild times was empty. After carefully wiping his picture clean, Nick wandered through the abandoned hall, proceeded to collect his collar and began to head out, his head feeling lighter than it ever had despite the great millstone tightly fastened once more around his neck. Walking back up to the empty car park on top, turning off all the lights and locking all doors on the way, he exited the speedy care clinic to see his three friends waiting for him in the empty car park. He entered their warm reassuring embrace, slowly rubbing himself into them and inhaling their comforting scents, before standing up and looking at them with his mellowed bloodshot eyes and warm grin. Together they turned, all four standing side by side as they faced the speedy care clinic, rising up in pride.

"Not that it matters much in the big scheme of things…" Nick began quietly, "but uh… how much did we make?"

A soft chuckle began to fill the night, before Finnick spoke up, "Slick, you said that whoever could take these things off would the richest mammal in Zootopia. As usual you're wrong."

Nick paused slightly, "huh…"

"The right answer Little Bro, is that they'll be the four richest mammals in Zootopia!"

The four all began to chuckle, jovially bumping into each other, as they drank in their success.


	12. Chapter 12

_"So you paid no mind, to the warning signs,_

_as you gave your words so free."_

.

**Chapter 12:**

.

- **3 Months later** -

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_Beep Beep, Beep Beep_ …

" _Good morning Zootopia! This is Simon May-Doe on the ZRC breakfast show. We'll be talking about yesterday's savage tiger attack in a moment, but first some music. An old favourite by Fleetwood Yak from their legendary album Ruminants, it's Grow Your Own Mane…_ "

Nick slammed off the radio before the tune could start and yawned. Stretching his limbs out above him, he got on his feet and rose, slamming his head onto a soft fluffy pillow taped to a pipe in the process.

"Second best investment I ever made, you are," he chuckled, as he slipped out of bed and walked around his dilapidated apartment. Passing several suitcases that were brimming with clothes, he grabbed a box of cereal out of a fully stocked cupboard and proceeded to drown it in copious amounts of milk from his new fridge. After gorging himself on the available food, he proceeded to take a long shower, give his body a deep blow-dry, perform a rigorous grooming session, clean his teeth and get changed. Donning one of his favourite pawaiian shirts, along with a pair of grey trousers and his father's tie, Nick grabbed a brown bag and lazily strolled out. Entering Jorge's living room, the fox spotted the eponymous bear in his usual position, sitting in his chair and watching TV in his Y-fronts.

"Nick…" the bear began to grumble, "for the hundredth time since you opened Wild Times, stick some ruddy musk-mask on. I don't want that place left stinking of fox!"

Nick merely chuckled as he looked on. "Well, you've got nine-hundred times to ask me about it before you match the times I asked you to bring in a plumber. And anyway, even if you agree with the prey and think us chompers should hide our natural glory in all its forms, surely my magnificent au-de vulpine is a step up from pervasive damp and mould?"

"Dear god…" Jorge moaned, rolling his eyes as he turned to face his tenant. "You're taking this stuff seriously… I mean look! You're even growing out your whiskers!" As Nick smiled, a hand rising up to twiddle one of the firm but short strand of hair sticking out of the end of his muzzle, his landlord continued. "I mean, why don't you go the full monty and just join that naturalist club in Sahara Square?"

"The Mystic Springs Oasis," Nick pondered, before shrugging. "From our current attire, I'd have thought that was more your thing."

The bear merely snorted somewhat before murmuring out a response. "What do you want, anyway?"

"It's the end of an era," Nick warmly stated, "two more days and I'm out of here. Good bye rainforest district, hello Savannah Central!"

"What do I care?"

"Well, I can't comprehend why… nor likely could anyone, even that bird of prey scientist in a wheelchair from the Kingdom of Avaria... But, I've got quite fond of you. As such, I was thinking of offering you a job."

"A job?" Jorge shouted, standing alert with his collar turning amber. "At Wild Times you mean?"

"No, at the Toadzambique embassy. We've been having some problems with trouble makers, so I thought I could hire a bouncer."

"How much?"

"Thirt-five grand a year, free priority access on your off days, a collarless career and the world's most charming boss."

Jorge lumbered out of his chair and waddled towards Nick. Before the fox could react, the grizzly bear's two massive arms were wrapped around him in a merciless embrace.

"Can I start tonight?" Jorge asked eagerly

"…Ye….s….." Nick replied, voice squeaking out of his lungs while he squirmed, attempting to free himself from the crushing bear hug. He was finally released and, after rapidly inhaling several times in order to satisfy his oxygen starved body, he looked up and smiled.

"Turn up after lunch and talk to Honey, I have some business to do with our financiers."

With that, Nick grabbed his small bag and exited the door. Hopping down the steps, he jumped in to a small red convertible roadster. Scarlet enamel bodywork and chrome trim sparkling immaculately, while the fabric seats were clean and crisp, the car was Nick's new pride and joy. He turned the keys and after a few sickly splutters the engine burst to life. With his foot down, Nick sped off down the road, leaving the roar of his exhaust, a cloud of dust and black tire treads in his wake.

.

It was a hot day in Sahara square and Nick panted slightly as he parked up near the rendezvous point. He waited around for a bit, impatiently tapping his feet on the pavement, until he whipped out his phone and started to wander off, sending a text at the same time.

By the time Nick returned, bags of shopping in hand, the sun was even higher, and he was tentatively stepping across the hot sidewalk as he tried not to burn his sensitive paw pads on the scorching concrete. Taking off his glasses and slipping them into a pocket, he scanned around for any signs of a mafia car.

BEEP, BEEP!...

Nick yelped in pain as his tail was flattened once more by the jerks. Holding his bags of shopping tightly to his chest, he tilted his head up as he grimaced with the pain. Turning around and laying his eyes on the giggling rodents, Nick felt his anger boil over far too late.  **Zap…**  He also felt the painful sting of his collar going off and, succeeding where the jerks had failed, it sent his groceries bags out of his arms and down to the floor where they split apart. The two jerks giggled some more and high-fived each other before racing off with Nick left to bitterly clean up the mess, grasping at the various foodstuffs and items while other mammals passed by as if he weren't there. As he finished placing the bulk of the shopping into the bags, he gazed up to see a large white limo roll past and slink into a dark alleyway nearby, a literal chill running down his spine at the sight. Long, powerful and with condensation gleaming on the outside and cool blue lights emanating from beneath, it wasn't just any mafia enforcer. It was the Don himself, Kozlov, who had come to meet him. Nick stuck the last item, a lollipop, into his pocket before wandering back to his car. He exchanged the bags of produce for the small brown one and then crossed the road, hopping and cursing under his breath each time his sensitive pads touched the baking tarmac, before slinking into the alley and gently knocking on the window. As the black window slid down, Nick was hit by the blast of sub-zero cold inside. Leaning his arm on the door as he took off the lollipops plastic cover, his breath formed billowing clouds in the air as he spoke.

"One more week like this…" he smugly boasted, wiggling the bag in his paw as he handed it over to Kozlov. As the massive polar bear took it, Nick slotted the lollipop into his mouth and began sucking, its tart sweetness rolling out and over his tongue. He relaxed, no longer caring about the reputation of the mammal in front of him, and rather choosing to play it cool and suave like he knew his was born to do. "…And I believe we are even," he finished, before he took another sweet suck from his treat and smiled.

Kozlov had grabbed the stack of bills from the bag and quickly flicked through them all, counting. He nodded slightly as he registered how much had been repaid, before grunting and turning back to Nick. "Kozlov did not give you loan so you could flaunt business in front of camera," he spoke. The angry Purrussian accent was accompanied by a flick of his paw in the direction of Nick's car, before he turned and pointed straight at him. "Be careful, Zootopia is like little baby… does not like to be changed."

Nick merely smiled and shrugged, not wishing to spend his time getting a lecture from fellow preds (he already got quite enough from Prey for his liking), before turning to walk off. "I'm a small-time fox and it's a prey world," he mused as he left. "I couldn't change this town if I wanted to." He didn't notice Kozlov's extending arm until it had firmly planted itself around his tie. Nick barely registered it before he felt his windpipe choking shut as he was dragged back, a flash of sudden concern racing through his mind. Head shooting into the freezing cold interior, Nick grabbed the arm rest to steady himself as Kozlov let go.

"Preds need to stick together, yes?" he said, as he grabbed a business card and thrust it into Nick's paw. Looking down, Nick read the advertisement to Kozlov's family dining, located in Tundra Town, as the great bear began to speak again. "If you ever have problem? You need advice… or tax guy, or… dead body to disappear…" With that Kozlov threw his money over to an associate at the other end of the limo. Nick watched as the second polar bear grabbed the wad and opened his briefcase, revealing a bound weasel nestled inside wads of cash.

"Okay, I'M A WEASEL!" he begged, "there… I said it, but her me out…" The polar bears evidently didn't want to hear him out, as the new wad of cash was thrown straight down onto his head. Before he could react, the briefcase was clamped shut and Nick was left looking on, shocked.

"Anyway, lots of business with Zootennial…" Kozlov began again, likely talking about some deal or other with the great city stadium. Nick looked back over and immediately felt Kozlov grab his collar again. He was yanked forward while the mafia boss lunged towards Nick's face. "Charge double for Churros," he growled, before his mood suddenly flipped and he smiled. "Okee-Dokee?"

Nick could only manage a nervous grin, trying to defuse the situation and get out, before he was finally let go. The window pulled up and the limo drove off, leaving Nick shaking slightly from his experience. "Don't be cheeky with Kozlov…" he muttered as he walked back to his car, straightening and stroking his tie on the way while mulling over the intimate experience he'd just had. Thinking back over every detail, he spoke out his only other observation. "And I hope for his sake that Mr Weasel didn't have too much coffee this morning…"

As he jumped into his car and drove off, a small grey figure walked into view, nose twitching and interest piqued by the suspicious exchange she had just seen. A notepad and orange carrot pen in hand, she jumped into a police vehicle before heading off in pursuit.

.

It was early in the afternoon when Nick arrived at the speedy care clinic. Parking his car, he jumped out and wandered in, before peeking into an examination room to see Clawhauser. While he often forgot about it, the fact remained that he and all his friends were technically qualified vets. While few customers would pay to use their clinic, instead choosing to go to a better qualified and free one, the odd customer did come in occasionally. Case in point, Clawhauser was currently staring into the maw of a giant lion, trying to identify the source of a sore throat.

"Mind giving me a little roar?" Clawhauser gently ask, to which the reply was a deafening roar that pulled his face back, flabs of skin flapping in the wind. It was only the  _beep_  of the lion's collar that saved the cheetah from complete facial destruction, and even then it was a close thing. He smiled slightly and spoke up again to his patient. "Okay… that was good, you seem to have a small throat infection. I can write you a prescription which you can take in. Any other questions?"

"I heard this place specialised in neck pains?"

"Well, we have a certain talent here," Clawhauser chuckled, "if you come back very late tonight and…"

"Show him now Spots," Nick said, diverting both feline's attention as he stood in the doorway. "We're booked solid for the next two months; don't see why we can't give him a ten-minute intro now."

Clawhauser gestured for the lion to follow him as he walked to the back wall. Leaning up and twisting the top of a pill bottle, the cheetah smiled slightly as a small click was heard. Pushing now, the wall swung open revealing the slide and stairs to the park below. With a quick gesture, Clawhauser had the lion racing over and sliding down the slide, whooping as he went.

"Careful, don't…" he began to say, only to be cut off as a blue light and the sound of buzzing came up from below. Shrugging, Clawhauser turned to Nick as he remembered something, right hand index finger pointing up with thought. "Two of the generators are busted Nick. You and Finnick will need to pick up replacements tonight."

"Will do," Nick replied, before Clawhauser turned and followed the lion down the slide. Smiling at the sound of the cheetah's excited whoops, Nick pushed the door shut and relaxed. Meanwhile, a familiar police cruiser parked up across the street. The small grey bunny jumped out and began hurriedly sprinting from cover to cover, tentatively approaching the speedy care clinic. Darting to its side, she planted herself against the wall and, while catching her breath, patted the small pink bottle on her utility belt with confidence. With one final deep breath, she shuffled around the front of the building and entered it.

.

"Hello?" she shouted as she walked into the reception room. Glancing around, she tried to take in as much information as possible, filing it away for future use. In a back room, Nick was jolted awake by the sound and, mouthing the word Judy, his collar flicked orange. He nervously straightened his tie and grabbed a vet's uniform, before starting a set of deep breaths to calm his nerves. Opening his eyes, he grinned and rubbed his hands together, while another call echoed down the hall.

"Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD."

"Well, long, long time no see Officer Carrots," came the amused reply, as Nick peeked out through the doorway. Judy's eyes widened at the shock while her ears drooped. Nose twitching, she tried to speak but the bizarre sight made all sounds come out as unintelligible muttering. Nick merely smiled some more as he walked forward, stretching himself up and fluffing out his fur as he tried to make himself more imposing.

"I… didn't realize you were the vet… I didn't know that there were any fox vets, I mean the sign showed a cat…" she finally spurted out, referring to the speedy care sign (a silhouette of a cat in a medical cone giving a thumb's up), before she fell silent for a second.

Nick stayed quiet too for a bit, before giving a mute chuckle and speaking out. "I get that a lot, people think I'm a kitty, but I'm just a fox… But hey, two years ago, I didn't know that there were any bunny cops. Seems like we're both trailblazers."

"Well I suppose… unless," she pondered, before she scowled, her face angry. "How do I even know you're a real vet?"

Nick backed up a bit and gestured to his right. "My degree."

Judy's glance wandered over the framed degree, proudly showing off the name of the awarding establishment: The Zootopia Online University of the Arts. She paused slightly, trying to comprehend what she was seeing, until her gaze drifted over to a nearby frame. "What's that?"

"That?", Nick said, smugly looking at the framed parking sitting nearby violation. "That is a souvenir from the first day we met. Look, it has your ludicrously cute signature and everything!"

Judy was not impressed, her nose twitched slightly as her left foot began thumping violently on the floor. "Only bunnies can call other bunnies cute! Don't… call… me… cute!" she snarled, with so such malice and anger that Nick actively flinched back.

"That's definitely a red lighter there Fluff… Anyway, all's good now isn't it. I'm a vet, you're a police officer…"

"Trainee detective…"

"Trainee detective," Nick repeated, his eyebrows rising. Actually impressed, he said the words slowly and was mulling over every syllable in his mouth. "And what, pray tell, is a trainee detective doing here? Nothing dodgy is going on."

"Oh, something's going on, and you're going to tell me what it is."

He paused for a moment, thinking very carefully about his next reply. He had to keep cool, he had to keep collected and, seeing as intimidation had failed, he had to give Judy no reason to suspect anything. "I'm providing medical care, from predators to predators. I mean, many proud and sweet vixens get very worried about what some careless prey doctors might do to their precious brushes… just saying…"

Evidently unimpressed, Judy slipped past Nick and veered off into the back room. "So how does medical care," she mulled while scanning the room for anything dodgy, "have anything to do with a polar bear whose grim reputation proceeds him."

"Pardon," Nick said as he stepped into the doorway, casually observing Judy flick through paper after paper.

"Kozlov," she said while gesturing out with a finger. "We've all heard the stories. I heard once that he captured Mr Big and the rest of the Little Rodentia mafia and kept them prisoner. Finding out that hitting them on the head made them squeak at a certain pitch, he arranged them in order and forced them to live out their lives in his very own personal mouse organ."

"I though the story was that he made them slaves, forcing them to run up and down to keep an old grandfather clock running," Nick replied. "I still don't know what this has to do with me."

"I saw you giving him a suspicious brown bag in a back alley."

Nick's eyes shot open with shock, while his mouth opened awkwardly and his collar bleeped up to orange. With an expression more fitting for someone who'd seen a ghost on his face, Judy smirked, knowing that she'd just got him.

"Okay Slick Nick. I want the details."

Nick nervously moved around and sat on the medical table, his mind darting with thought and plans as he tried to work out a way of this hole. Settling down into the crinkling plastic, he buried his face in his paws and breathed in heavily. Judy looked on at the fox, his ears down in a mix of fear and despair as he exhaled, and leapt onto the table so that their heads were level.

"I said details, Slick…"

"Don't call me that. Only friends can call me that. And details?... I can't…" Nick nervously spoke out.

"Oh yes you can," Judy shot out, moving over and rudely entering the fox's personal space.

"You've heard the stories…" Nick whined, his ears slipping even further back.

"Heard the ones about the Zoo?" Judy said, with a dash of intimidation in her voice. "This could just be my bad-cop routine speaking, but I heard that most of the really violent inmates are big prey mammals who really don't like preds… One's who, I might add, I helped to put away in the first place, no thank-you required. Anyway, I'd only trust a fox as far as I can swing him but, apparently, that lot either trusts them extensively or, more likely, use a different saying considering their favourite pastime.

"He'll kill me," Nick pleaded, begging desperately into Judy's eyes. She looked on quizzically, before snapping out of it.

"Tell me, and he'll be put away. Otherwise, it'll be you. Now, you don't want your son to grow up without a father, do you?"

Nick's right eye raised slightly in befuddlement, accompanied by a slanting left ear and tilting head. Snapping out of the confusion, Nick shook his head before looking away, "Give me protective custody, police protection, anything."

"Hmmm," Judy pondered, "it'll be a bit awkward explaining why a fox needs protection to the board, not my choice I'm afraid. But I'll try, and I'm sure a big pred like you can easily defend himself if they refuse. Now, tell me."

"No."

"Yes!"

"Nooo..."

"YES!"

"I can't!"

"You can't what?"

"I can't tell you!"

"Can't tell me what?"

"That Kozlov has chronic flatulence!" Nick's eyes shot open and his paws raced up, clamping shut his muzzle. While he nervously looked around, Judy was standing over him with a giant grin and eyes closed with smugness… which all faded in seconds as she registered what had been said, leaving her looking dumbfounded.

"Flatulence…" she softly spoke, as Nick nervously looked over.

"Yes… he has bad gut problems, it's incredibly embarrassing," he calmly stated. "I mean, all the other vets are prey and tell him to go vegetarian! All true if you're prey, eating large quantities of bug or fish can cause bad problems… But Kozlov's a polar bear who loves his specialist Borsch… So, he contacts me, and I supply him with specialist medication confidentially."

Judy looked on, confused, as Nick continued. "See what I mean Judy. These vets don't understand, they don't care. I do care…"

Judy smiled and looked away, "It's just that this place seems to get a lot of visitors at night. I mean lots! Weekend afternoons and evenings too. Are they all here for check-ups?"

"Can't afford to spend time off work," Nick warmly responded back. "As I said, I care."

"I'm sorry," Judy replied sincerely, as she continued to avert her gaze. "And don't worry, Mr Kozlov's secret is safe with me."

She jumped off of the table and began wandering out, leaving Nick alone in the room. A smirk began to grow across his face, proud at the masterful hustle he had just performed, only to be wiped out with a familiar click and grind. Turning to his left, Nick spotted Clawhauser opening the secret door. The large cheetah spotted officer Hopps just as her ears were picking up the noise, and quickly pulled the door shut as she glanced over to look.

"What was that?" she said, eyes landing accusingly on Nick.

"Kozlov might be here for a check-up," Nick quickly shot out, a bit too nervously. "He doesn't like bunnies so…"

"That wall moved," Judy stated flatly. She grabbed fox repellent in her arms and aimed it defensively at a flinching Nick, before charging at the wall. Pounding into it with her feet, the whole thing vibrated and creaked on its hinges.

"Miss Hopps, please…" Nick desperately pleaded, as she charged again, faster and harder.

"It's a very nice wall," he continued, as Judy charged for a third time, eliciting a groan from Clawhauser behind.

"And I don't want it brok…," she charged again, this time aiming for the other side of the wall. Slamming into it at full speed, with the added force of Clawhauser pushing, did the trick. The wall swung open on its pivot, doing a full 180 while the chubby cheetah shot out and landed painfully on his front. From behind the wall, Nick could hear the sound of the bunny tumbling down what was hopefully the slide before she went silent. Clawhauser looked up and cracked a tiny smile, "The lion fellow left by the other door… he really likes the place."

.

By the time Nick shot out of the slide and skidded to a halt, Judy still hadn't moved from where she had landed. Standing up, her gaze had scanned as much of the cavernous hall as she could and was now firmly planted on the collar check, eyes trembling with the horror of the realisation.

"Listen, Judy…" Nick slowly began, before he was cut off.

"I knew there was something going on," she said quietly, before her voice turned bitter and she slapped her forehead. "I was stupid for trusting you…"

"Listen, I'm not doing anything wrong…"

"YOU'RE TAKING PREDS COLLARS OFF!" Judy shouted, as she pivoted around with eyes narrow and a tranquiliser gun trembling in her arms.

"Legally as allowed by my medical licence…" Nick softly counteracted, glancing around nervously with his arms raised.

"You… have to have a protective cage and stuff to do that!" she replied, sounding like a worried mother attempting to explain to their child why something was unsafe. "And… and… you need to keep them as calm as possible for safety. This doesn't look like calm! This is the opposite of calm!" Judy continued, the last words shouted out while she wildly gestured around her with her free arm.

Nick sighed, his arms lowering slightly, as he spoke on. "Legally, I just need to make sure that uncollared preds don't go out into the open, while I take legal responsibility for any savage incidents that occur."

Judy stepped back, lowering her weapon slightly. "Are you nuts?"

"No, I'm sure that's a squirrel…"

"This park… thing!" she cried back, her voice tinged with panic. "I mean there's a rollercoaster! It's as if you want to get preds worked up! You couldn't operate for one day without a pred going savage. Then you're dead…or in jail, your son in an orphanage!"

"Well," Nick interjected, tone hardening. "I've been going for ninety days, and this mumbo jumbo savage stuff isn't happening." His eyes narrowed and voice was raised, almost angry, as he continued. "And trust me, from first-hand experience, we preds don't go savage. It's just a myth your lot make up so you feel even better when you trample us. I give my fellow preds protection from their evil collars and let them have some happy, innocent fun. Wouldn't you do the same for your family?"

"Mumbo jumbo…" Judy muttered, her nose twitching with anger, before her voice sharpened. "MUMBO JUMBO! A TIGER WENT SAVAGE THIS MORNING. Fourteen cases! Fourteen cases in the last two years… how can you say it's mumbo jumbo!"

"Because I know," Nick shot back, hand sweeping the air in front of him to cut Judy off. "These savage cases are the first in recorded history. Maybe, if it's not some evil prey making up scare stories to sell papers, it's a virus or something leaking into food or water. It isn't some fault in our minds or DNA."

Judy retreated slightly, nose twitching as she raised her weapon back up. "For everyone's sake, I don't care if this is all legal. Heck, I'll try to make it illegal as soon as possible!"

Nick extended his claws to full length as he marched closer to Judy, his collar orange. "Then, little bunny, you'll have made a million enemies. In that one million, they'll be some nutters. Some bitter pills. They'll be coming for you, or your family, and there's nothing you or I can do about it."

Nick stopped as he leant over Judy, paws flicking as he showed off his sharp claws, before slowly waving them in front of her eyes. She was trembling now, gun held up with two shaking hands and ears drooped flat against her back. Nose twitching rapidly and eyes wavering, Nick cocked a sly grin and pulled back, allowing her to relax slightly.

"Go. Leave us alone. Let us have our fun and don't stick your nose in it, or I might have to call some nasty people that I don't want to call and ask them to do a nasty thing that I don't want to do. We've all heard the stories, haven't we? You want to make this all illegal…? What a puny plan! Just walk away, OK?"

Judy relaxed slightly and began walking out, gun still trembling as it was pointed at Nick. "Fine," she said defiantly, "but when this all goes wrong, when people are hurt and you're in jail… don't expect any sympathy or help from me!"

And with that she turned, lowering her weapon as she marched up the steps and out of the park. Nick sighed with relief as the threat to his life's work vanished, before distastefully looking at his extended claws. He looked up at the exit and down at his claws several times, quiet, before retracting them, sighing sadly and then sulking off into the back.


	13. Chapter 13

_"It's been a bad day,_

_please don't take a picture."_

.

**Chapter 13** :

.

It was late at night when Nick and Finnick finally exited the abysmal traffic and returned to Wild Times in the latter's van. Passing the Speedy-care, they spotted a full car park and a line snaking out of the door, the potential patrons all looking tired and quite irate (given the prevalence of orange collars dotted around).

"So much for inconspicuous," Finnick commented, as they drove past and took the sharp left-hand turn down to the lower level and the park. Bumping down the steep track, they turned left again so that they were on the quayside, outside of the main warehouse. Finnick stayed in the van while Nick leapt out, unlocking the loading door in order to let the vital supplies in, and, waving him through, he took the time to look around and check how things were holding up. It wasn't good. Clawhauser was the only mammal on the collar check, failing badly to process the long line of waiting preds. The music was off while the lights were dimmed, all trying to save precious power.

"About time boys!" came a shout, and out of a nearby door popped Honey. Covered in grease, she had thick electrical gloves and ear mufflers on, their importance evident due to the racket coming from the generator shed.

"Honey, Finnick can help you get the extra generators online while I'll man the collar check," Nick shouted. "Who's running up top?"

"Your bear friend."

Nick smiled slightly, thanking himself for giving Jorge the job, as he walked forward and parted the queue to let Finnick's van past. With no time to lose, he grabbed a collar key and took his device off before he quickly began serving customers.

"OK, you there, money and name?" Nick said to the next in line, a bobcat in his young teens.

"Bobby Catmull," he cautiously replied, as an adult bobcat who had his collar off moved forward to get Nick's attention.

"Clawhauser, you take the youth fare from his dad while I do the collar."

Turning back to Bobby, Nick leant forward and quickly undid the collar, seeing it drop into the teenager's arms. He held it there, slowly feeling it and weighing it in his hands while tentatively feeling his neck, before Nick got his attention.

"Listen, seeing you young ones taste freedom again is awesome," he said, smiling as he did so. "Best part of my job. But I'm afraid we have a line to get through. Here's you collar number, now hop along." With that, the bobcat quickly filled in his name and gave his collar to Clawhauser, who filed it, along with his dads, into the appropriate position onto the wall.

Next came a young blanford's fox vixen. Coming up to Nick's shoulders, an average height for her kind, and possessing dusty sand coloured fur, she flirted with the former as he took her collar off. "Nice to see a fellow vulpine do good in this world," she said teasingly, slowly running a claw down one of the black lines of fur that flowed from the corner of her eyes. "It's a shame that I'll be alone tomorrow, I'll have to book a dinner table for two and eat all by myself."

"And I'll bet it will be wonderfully depressing," Nick smugly replied, as he waved her on. She harrumphed slightly at the cold shoulder, before trotting off.

"Lady problems?" asked a strange voice. Turning, Nick spotted his next customer, a smallish Wolf in a trench coat and a fedora.

"Key diggers…" Nick joked, as he lifted his arms up and shrugged as if to ask, 'what can you do?' The Wolf merely chuckled in reply as Nick asked for his name.

"Lupus Savage," he barked back, in a Scottish accent that exaggerated the first letter of each word and rushed each vowel. As the wolf dropped a $20 note into the payment bin, Nick flipped through his copy of the booking register, while muttering, before finding the correct name.

"Okay, just write your collar number out on that sticky note for closing time while I do the magic," Nick replied, grabbing his key and unlocking the wolf's collar, handing him his cent's worth of change at the same time. Grabbing the collar, his fingers digging in to the lupine's unusually silky fur, Nick scribbled the name on another note and placed the two together up on one of the pegs at the back. Looking up, he saw the wolf still there, looking around with wide, trembling eyes.

"Wait till you're inside mate, we have a queue to serve," he said, before pausing. Looking down at his furry arms, he placed a paw on one and smiled. "May I…?"

"May you what?" Lupus asked nervously, stepping back slightly.

"This," Nick replied with a cheeky shrug, ruffling his fingers through the fur. As the wolf relaxed, the fox smiled, his tail wagging. "Soft!" he said, cooing. "Silky… Smooth!"

"Is there a point to this?" the lupine enquired.

"My pleasure?" Nick suggested, as the larger canine pulled back his arm. "It's just that's the nicest fur I've ever felt. You have to tell me what fur conditioner you use, that stuff's soft… though the smell is a bit unique." The wolf chuckled nervously before walking on proudly, leaving Nick to deal with his next customer, a pair of otters out their first marriage anniversary. Nick took both their fares and their collars, before waving them on.

.

Over an hour later, Nick and Clawhauser, joined by Finnick and Honey, had finally brought the queue down to nothing. The two new generators in the outside hut meant that all rides were back in full operation, while music blared out of the speakers once more. Jorge had turned up too, riding down the slide and having his collar unlocked by Nick.

"Sorry you were stuck up there Jorge," Nick shrugged, "someone has to do it."

The bear might have been displeased, but it was hidden by the satisfied smile that he wore as he bumbled off in his Wild Times uniform. The four mammals left at the front desk leant back in their chairs and relaxed a bit, before Nick spoke up.

"I think… I think I'll look into hiring some more people. Get someone to handle the bookings and collar filing and stuff."

The other three nodded in agreement, with Honey piping up.

"I need to file all those taxes and things through the Speedy Care business… but I need all the figures and stuff to find out how much we can send through wages or dividends and how much we should just bury in the desert like those three other emergency barrels."

Nick sighed, and looked back at Honey. "Fine Honeybun, I'll do the crap part of the job. See you when we close."

"You too Slick," she said as she waved him off.

.

Strolling through to his office, his gaze merrily scanning his surroundings, Nick saw the park in full swing. Over to his right, he glanced the two otters relaxing at the Go-fishing. The lady's rod suddenly jerked as she caught something, its force pulling her forwards. Her husband jumped to hold her, trying hard to stop her being pulled forwards. Reeling the mechanical fish in, it suddenly gave way and was yanked out of the water, only for the two otters to tumble backwards into the cold pool. They vanished for a second before rising out of the water in a splash, laughing their heads off. Turning around, Nick glanced over to the howl along where five wolves were busy calling their lungs out. To the side, a sixth was eagerly trying to drag in a seventh to join the fun. The seventh one, the wolf Nick had let in earlier, was trying to pull away desperately and looked to be very displeased, if not nervous. Nick merely scowled and called Jorge over.

"Jorge, can you just get those wolves to leave the one in a hat alone?"

Jorge nodded and began wandering off to deal with the issue, leaving Nick to turn his attention to a commotion forming at the otter slide. Wandering over, he tentatively climbed to the base of the flume, its regular water flow only dribbling out.

"Hello, is anyone stuck in there," Nick shouted, as he stood on the dry lip of the slide. His voice echoed up the tube and vanished, leaving him scratching his head in puzzlement. There was a slight rumble and several screams, the cause of which only came to Nick when he saw a pair polar bear legs race down the pipe and shoot out at him.

.

Wandering into his office dripping wet, Nick slowly squelched over to his desk and sat down. He had no towel or other equipment, so merely chose to sit down and let the warmth slowly dry him and his clothes off. Across the desk lay numerous reports and receipts, tallying the cost of fuel and other essentials that had to be brought in, along with merchandise and food costs. Nick groaned slightly as the numbers and words were spread out in front of him, jiggled out of order every now and again when the roar-a-coaster shot past. Wearily, he brought out a calculator and a beat-up laptop, before starting the long process of compiling notes. He half-heartedly began tapping at the calculator, before a light tapping on the doors pricked his ears. Leaning forward, ears perking up and focussing, he picked up a conversation going on outside.

" _Get down Tony, I've told you it was a silly idea and not worth Mr Wilde's time. He's got lots of…"_

"Time on his paws!" Nick shouted, having raced across his desk and slammed open the door, revealing a tiger cub at the top of the stairs with his parents below.

"Come in, come in," Nick urged, and with that the cub raced in, followed by his parents. As they entered, Nick closed the door and began pouring some coffee from the waiting jug. "So, little tyke", Nick smiled, "what silly idea do you have?"

The Tiger paused for a moment, before speaking up, "I.. want to have my Birthday party here. It's in four months' time."

Nick chuckled slightly, before reaching up and ruffling the cub's hair. "And why is that a silly idea? I have my birthdays here," he said, gesturing to several cards on the wall, marking his 32nd. "And I love seeing the joy on all the little kids faces. That's why I let under thirteens in free and teens in at half-price!" Nick smiled as he turned around to refill his coffee.

"But… my parents said I couldn't invite one of my friends here…"

"And why's that?"

"She's a hippo…"

Nick coughed, spurting the coffee he was starting to drink out into his cup and over his paws. He gently put the cup down and wiped his hands, before looking over at the little tiger cub.

"You see this?" Nick said quietly, pointing to his neck.

The little cub looked on silently, confused as he tried to register what Nick was trying to prove. He finally gave up, shrugging and saying "No."

"Exactly. There's nothing there." Nick lectured back.

"So?"

"So?" Nick replied incredulously. "We have no collars on kiddo. Prey kids like that hippo, who let me say right here and now aren't truly your friends… they believe that the only way a predator can be allowed to live is in misery. They hate us, despise us, and only ever want to take from us, even if it costs them to do so! They take our money through unfair taxes, our loved ones via the corrupt police and our emotions via these collars! "

"But…" the little cub began, before Nick cut him off again.

"No buts!" he shouted, teeth slightly bared and the cub retreating back from the unfamiliar sign of predatory aggression. Nick looked up at the startled parents and his eyes widened with realisation at what he had done. "Sorry," he said apologetically while looking away. "She may like you now, but take your collar off and she'll run scared. They all do," he continued bitterly. "Nothing we can do, or she can be cared to do, about it. That's the way it is. It's the way it always will be. And if they find out about this place, they'll try and shut it down as that's what they do. To a prey animal, making a difference to the world tends to be measured by how much worse you make it for preds… The only thing we can do is to stick by our own, got it?"

The little tiger cub was silent for a moment, before turning away and glumly walking towards his parents. Nick paused slightly, his mouth dropping and hanging open, before he began walking forward. Spurred on by a wave of guilt, his mouth was open and ready to speak, his arms were opening ready to comfort and reassure; only for his attention to be jolted away as Jorge barged open the door and leant in to the office.

"Our wolf in a hat friend is making a load of trouble Nick," he said, sounding very concerned, as he looked around and fixed his gaze at the fox. "Nice office by the way."

Gesturing at the tiger family to back away, Nick smiled and walked over to Jorge, "Thanks. Now, I know he uses some funky shampoo, but the last time I checked that wasn't our concern. I don't care what fur care products he uses, so could you enlighten me on what he's doing wrong?"

"He's been acting odd all night, sir. Pushing away any customer who comes near him, inspecting each ride and attraction before moving on…"

"Anything that actual warrants this sort of attention and treatment?" Nick said in an annoyed tone before sighing, his eyes rolling as he considered the humiliation the poor patron might have gone through if Jorge went through and acted on his suspicions directly.

"He was calling loads of us chompers…"

"So what?" Nick laughed, "I'm a chomper, you're a chomper, all chompers having a good time. It's not like some stinking prey are calling us it? We're all chompers, we can use that word!"

"He's also climbing the Roar-A-Coaster right now, outside of your office"

Nick paused and swivelled around. Through the window at the back he could see the wolf in question, standing on a beam and leaning out, right arm holding a pillar to steady himself. With five sets of confused eyes focussing on him, he shrugged and began to carefully make his way to the windowsill.

"Mr Savage", Nick began, "could you tell me why you are climbing on an active rollercoaster? I mean, as an adult I'm fine having you take responsibility for your actions, however stupid they may be, but I don't want any bad publicity for this place."

The wolf threw his legs into the office and sat down on the window sill. He stayed silent as Nick wandered over to face him. With the angry fox looking up at him, the wolf merely tipped his fedora and looked up with a sly grin. "I was merely surveying an evacuation route, my good rapscallion."

"What are you, fire safety police?" Nick joked back.

"You're two thirds there in spirit, treacherous vulpine swine!"

Nick was taken aback, his teeth baring as he rose up and brought his eyes higher than the Wolf's own. Looking down at him, his anger only grew at the larger predator's increasingly smug look.

"Listen. Apologise and get out now or I'll ban you for life!" Nick warned, arms crossed in anger.

"I won't miss this sordid den of sickness and depravity. No decent mammal will."

Nick paused, pulling back as he looked on confused. The wolf merely began to chuckle, then laugh as he turned his legs to straddle the window sill. "What… do you want?" Nick asked, confused.

"The same thing you don't. Bad publicity!"

Nick glanced back at Jorge, who was still leaning in through to door, but froze as he turned to look back at the wolf. The bear and tiger's in the room all gasped in horror as, from the lichen grey trench coat, the wolf pulled out an object in each paw. In his left one he held a shining silver air gun, while in his right one he held a small canister of fox repellent. Time seemed to freeze as the first weapon shot up and aimed, before recoiling as it fired.

As the loud bang and subsequent hiss rang out, those in the room clenched at the sound and shock, before recovering and turning their heads towards Jorge. His breath ragged and worried, the bear was left frozen with shock; clutching at his chest with his paws, his teeth were gritted with pain while a sharp groan escaped his mouth. He tried to stumble away, only managing to miss his footing and fall off the steps. Flying through the air, his back crashed onto the hard concrete floor and a scream of pain escaped his muzzle. The tiger family, already petrified, ran out and down to help him while Nick shot to the nearest window and looked on. As the commotion of the park gave way to an eerie quiet, Nick didn't know what to expect… only not this. Jorge was beginning to convulse, teeth gritting and saliva beginning to foam from his mouth. His eyes were dilating while violent grunts began to escape his muzzle. Nick and the tiger family looked on in horror at the scene, before Jorge roared and lashed out, almost swiping the little boy. His parents grabbed him and ran, along with an increasing flow of mammals who had witnessed the event. The mass of brown fur righted itself, shakily rising onto four feet before glancing at Nick with its mad beastlike eyes. The thing that used to be Jorge then looked away and then ran off, charging at whichever poor soul happened to be closest.

Nick stepped back, only to feel something behind him. He turned and saw the wolf grinning madly, eyes alive with anger and vengeance. Nick gasped in fear and began backing away while Lupus Savage, weapons still raised, followed him. Desperately attempting to make some sense of the ongoing situation, Nick tried to speak but his words only came out in unintelligible grunts.

"What… what was that…" he finally managed to say, to which the wolf merely laughed maniacally.

"My dear boyo. It's a savage! Raised from primeval hell!" he shouted proudly, before his voice darkened into a sinister sneer. "I hope you took the necessary containment precautions."

There was a click, and Nick spotted the fox repellent in the wolf's other hand thrust forward, plastic cap removed. There was a sudden hiss and Nick's vision instantly went blazing red. Screaming, he barely managed to see the wolf wander off and exit the office, stepping down the stairs in a calm and collected manner before the closing door obscured him from view. As he tried to tear away the remorseless fire consuming his eyes and burning his nose and sinuses, Nick felt sick and began dry retching. Dizziness overcoming him, the last thing he saw was the room spin and then go black.

.

By the time Nick woke up, confused tired and dizzy, he could tell something was wrong. Trying to make sense of his surroundings, his vision barely registered as anything more than short blurry fragments. He coughed slightly, still trying to clear the vile taste and smell of fox repellent from himself as he began to make out the scene in his office. Files strewn everywhere, the door shaking slightly from the breeze of the wind, the outside park almost abandoned but for a set of figures approaching. Trembling as he rose to his feet, Nick began to stumble forward towards the door. The sounds had changed too, the usual raucous cheers and laughter replaced by the sound of pounding feet, shouts and a soft whirring outside. Balance still off, Nick exited his office, still lost for thought and desperate to find a friend to help him, to explain what was going on. The shouts increased as he began to walk down the steep stairway, his feet suddenly slipping out from under him as he was sent crashing down before landing painfully on his tail. The ground shook as a line of blurry white figures, dressed in blue, marched up in unison and surrounded him. They held menacing black rods in their arms, swinging them as if priming for use, and had strange eyes that glared into Nick's soul. The shouting was so loud that Nick's suddenly ringing ears couldn't decipher anything accurately. The words just came out in blurs: ' _olas… ilde… der… rest… or… gence… savage…_ '. The name of the wolf snapped Nick to his senses, and he saw himself surrounded by furious police officers, their faces angry, truncheons beating and weapons armed. His terror barely had any time to register before firm hooves grabbed his arms and pulled him up. Too weak to resist, he looked around, perplexed at the chaos of Wild Times, debris strewn everywhere from the mass panic caused by escaping mammals. The wind was getting stronger and colder, different sounds getting louder but no less intelligible, and then he was pulled out of the broken loading doors and into the bracing chill of the night.

There were screams… so many screams and insults being thrown about around and at him. He couldn't make them out, each face and voice blurring into one. Nick looked over and tried to focus on individuals and, as he did so, his situation and the accusing voices became clearer.

" _He has no Collar!_ " " _It's his fault that bear went savage._ " " _Make him pay!_ "  _"Show those Chompers what the law is for!" "I've got his collar sir!" "Muzzle him!" "Throw the book at that fox!..."_

They… they thought he allowed Jorge to go savage… they were arresting him! Nick began to mindlessly panic as he felt himself being thrown forward, his head smashing painfully against the cold metal of a car bonnet. He tried to squirm, wiggle, free himself. All too scared to protest, merely hyperventilating, he felt a familiar collar go around his neck and click as it locked tight, before there was a hum as it warmed up. Looking on, he glanced at three tigers behind the police cordon, orange collars shinning out in the night. They looked on sympathetically, knowing exactly what happened, and Nick looked back at them pleading for help.

Firm hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled Nick back to his feet, before he felt his ears and nose painfully slapped down and his neck clench as he was hauled forward. Glancing to either side, he saw the two collar poles holding him still, and the furious scowls of the officers holding them at length. Standing up again, Nick felt the cold bite of the rough plastic loops, each pulling against each other to catch his neck firmly in their grip, cut through his fur and painfully scratch his skin below. Then the officers pulled, dragging Nick forward towards the now screaming crowd of officers and journalists. Trying to walk normally, he realized with horror the full magnitude of what was going on. Everyone would know, everyone would see, everyone would remember the fox who took off a bear's collar and let him go savage, before he was hauled off with collar poles by the hero police, just like his parents who had dared to try the same thing so long ago.

The police cordon began to part and the journalists' cameras, formerly flashing fireflies in the distance, came up. The first one flashed and blinded Nick's sensitive eyes, still burning from the pain of the fox-away, causing him to turn away and grit his teeth. Mouth opening thanks to a subdued scream, his rows of sharp teeth were on display for all to see. Pulling his arms up, claws extended, in a vain attempt to shield himself, he was led into the heart of the paparazzi. He tried to block the relentless assaults of noise and sound, only for his panic to paint them a more enticing prize.

"Listen!" he began to scream desperately, trying to overcome the screams of 'savage' that filled the air as he was pushed, pulled and shaken about.

"Listen to me!" he screamed again, his collar shinning bright orange as the paparazzi continued on. With his bloodshot eyes open again and madly darting around, while each gesture or attempt to defend himself only producing a more feral pose, each picture taken was better than the last.

"That's… That is not what happens when you take your collar off!" His desperate plea was ignored as the photos continued mercilessly. Trying to fight everything off, from the choking pull of the nooses around his neck to the burning light, Nick only manged to be thrown around more and more. Each painful pull and tug magnified his panic, drawing his face into vicious scowls and screams while his paws, claws defensively extended, were menacing drawn into the air. Captured on film and camera for all to see, the chomper was led on, an orange and then red light shining from his neck. He dropped down screaming, his hands clutching his neck, as his formerly subdued panic boiled over and triggered his collar. Silenced, he fell to his knees and was dragged on without care or attention towards the waiting police vans. No one would listen to what he had said, no one would believe him, no one would care. All they would know about or care for was revealed thanks to the flashes of cameras, the slideshow of a savage fox, teeth and claws bared while sharp eyes madly looked for someone to hurt, being safely subdued by his collar and led away the valiant police.

.

Away from the crowd, Nick had got back to his feet and walked the final distance to the waiting van with his head hanging low. The doors opened as the collar poles were taken off him, and he walked in without prompt. As the doors slammed shut, Nick looked out of the back window as he was driven away. The lights of Wild Times were still on… but then they were cut, his dream snuffed out and vanishing into the distance. Knowing that he had been right, that it wasn't something wrong with preds that was causing savagery… it should have at least given Nick some comfort. Vindicate him. But no one would care at this point, least of all him. Peering out of the back window, Nick's head and collar peeked up over the lip of the sill. His collar was orange, but Nick, had he had the time, would have wondered what emotion was left in him for it to object to.


	14. Chapter 14

_"You'll be counting years,_

_first five, then ten,_

_growing old in a lonely hell._

_Round the yard and the stinking cell,_

_From wall to wall, and back again."_

.

**Chapter 14:**

.

_Fwoop… Fwoop…_

Two camera flashes illuminated Nick Wilde, lighting up a forlorn figure who stood trembling in front of the height chart as his mug shots were taken. In front of him he held a black board, white letters that had been fixed onto it sternly stating his old name, Nicholas P Wilde, and his new one, 18289. Above them all was the date and the proud symbol of Zootopia Police Department's precinct one jail. His mind trying to keep itself calm and collected despite the ongoing stress and confusion, Nick glanced over to the photographer's office desk and spotted two digital images of himself on a computer screen. Both photographs came out showing a fox that was perplexed, lost almost, and with little idea of what was going on. The expression on its face was like a deer stuck in headlights, slightly startled that this was all happening to him in the first place. His eyes were still bloodshot from the Fox-Away, their redness there for all to see given that they were opened up wide, trembling in befuddlement. His ears were lifted up, but only weakly, and sported a noticeable droop that in real life was interjected by the occasional nervous flick or pivot. His nose twitched slightly while his mouth was slightly parted in a weak and trembling gape, so that the white tips of his teeth and the pink of his tongue showed to the camera. In truth, Nick was still in shock, barely registering the process he was being put through as his mind swirled with the horror and confusion of the last few hours; Jorge's shooting and subsequent transformation into a savage in particular kept on playing over and over again, as if he were trying to look for any detail that would confirm it was simply a bad dream.

Turning around to face forward again, Nick let his gaze fall entirely on the photographer, who was busying himself as he fiddled away at his expensive camera. The ibex looked disinterested in him, avoiding eye contact and instead focussing on the door to his right, which slowly began rumbling open to let a large elephant guard in. His sights fixed on Nick and face scowling, bitter and angry, he paused for a moment to mull over his disdain for his latest charge before he barked out am angry command.

"Follow me, Chomper!"

Pivoting around, Nick passed the photographer, who managed a weak glance up before returning to his work. A tiny, quivering grin grew on Nick's mouth as his situational awareness somewhat returned, along with an urge to at least try and defuse the razor thin tension in the air, so he glanced back at Ibex and spoke.

"When do I get those on my mug...?" he joked, his nervous voice lifting at the end with a hint of a chuckle, while the grin on his muzzle grew. The ibex continued looking away and staying silent as the elephant gave a large harrumph, ordering Nick onwards and into processing. Pausing for a second, he began following glumly before glancing back and shooting one last quip at the photographer. "Could I have your autograph on it too?" The ibex remained silent, before the solid steel door slammed shut and blocked him from view.

Looking around, Nick saw that he was now in a barren concrete room with a window on his right and a heavy metal exit door up ahead. There was a narrow slit beneath a window, opening into a separate room, lit up with a fluorescent blue light. All around him, the lime green wallpaper on the walls was peeling off and exposing the grey concrete beneath, while yellow light poured out from a single lightbulb which hung limply in the centre of the chamber. There was a sudden clatter as a plastic tray was thrust in through the opening and onto a small desk, before the elephant sharply poked Nick with his trunk.

"Undress…" he said, in what sounded like a half hint.

"Here?" came back the quizzical reply, Nick taken aback by the idea of having to strip down, without any aid to his privacy or decency, in the view of a fellow mammal.

"Undress."

"Now?"

"Undress!"

Nick paused and, still looking up at the scowling and increasingly impatient elephant guard, sighed, before slowly starting to undo his watch, handing it over to the guard who casually tossed it into the tray. Looking down, Nick then began to dutifully unbutton his crumpled and tattered shirt. After methodically popping each button out of its hole and releasing it, he peeled it off past his collar and underneath his tie, and let it fall slowly to the floor before the elephant grabbed it and unceremoniously threw it into the tray. Having observed the entire process with concern at the shocking lack of respect for clothing, Nick undid his trousers and let them slip down to his feet, before stepping out of them and bending down. Picking them up, he quickly folded them up neatly as he began to make his way forward, ready to lay them in the tray too, only for the guard to rudely tear them away from Nick and hurl them in with the rest, a small flick of joy passing through his eyes as he did so.

Nick's ears slipped back in worry at the grim realisation of what this guard was doing and he paused, before bending down and working on his boxers. Shifting them down his legs, hobbling and hopping forward as he did so, the fabric fell to the floor before rapidly being placed in the tray. Lifting his gaze up, Nick's muzzle had a small grin on it, proud of his token defeat of the system, only for it to be wiped out as he came almost face to face with the prison officer on the other side of the opening. A sow, young and actually quite attractive, was staring back at him with a vicious smirk on her mouth and a soul piercing gaze; Nick had no choice but to retreat, blushing and shying away out of pure shock and embarrassment. His eyes were wide, desperately avoiding direct contact; his lips were pulled back, thin and pale, and his ears plastered themselves to the back of his skull in shame. His mind stunned with utter shame and humiliation, his collar shining bright orange, Nick let his tail rise up and, helped into final position by both paws, it lay in front of his groin in a desperate attempt to preserve his fleeting modesty.

Even that went, however, when the elephant guard lay his trunk on the nape of Nick's neck and, pinching the scruff, lifted him up via the flap of skin. Almost instantly Nick's reflexes kicked in and his limbs lost all support, function and control; his entire body being left helplessly paralysed and his dignity permanently tarnished. His mind recoiled at his state, screaming at his arms and legs to move or his mouth to cry out, but failed horrifically. Violated, humiliated, and feeling the suddenly maternal like dominance of the guard above him grow ever more intense, his panic grew by the second. Nick's limbs were left swinging aimlessly as he was carried backwards like a tiny kit, tail sailing limply between his legs. Anger burned inside him too, completely justified by the vile shattering of such a major taboo. His eyes, which were opened in horror and rage, twitched and shook frantically in their sockets.

 **ZAP….**  Detecting his furious mood, Nick's collar went off and discharged an excruciating shot of electricity into his neck, the skin beneath the fur burning hot while the muscles below locked and strained. It was likely the second worst shock in his life. Sure, in terms of pain he had worse too many times to count, but unlike the countless other times there was nothing he could do now to comfort or assist. He managed to mumble out a weak and muffled scream from his wide and gaping mouth, rather than the usual cry of agony, and, despite his mind straining and begging, he only managed to send his limbs twitching comically, as if he was a toy being rattled, rather than the usual fly to comfort his searing neck that they made. The Elephant chuckled slightly at the entire grim spectacle, a wide grin growing on his face, before beginning to swing the helpless ragdoll in his trunk up and down, left and right, forwards and backwards, as if he were a piece of string or rope. Nick at this point just shut his eyes and hyperventilated, trying to keep his body calm and stay the once more his rising tide of panic. All he felt were his limbs swaying in all directions, completely at the mercy of the hulking guard. Finally, having humoured himself as much as possible and, disappointed at not provoking another shock for his captive, the elephant threw his victim forcefully to the cold hard floor.

Collar orange, Nick landed into a crouch with his limbs trembling as they tried to support him, before he slowly began standing up again. His paws went up to shield his nape patting the area as he gasped for breath. Shaking his head violently to regain his composure, he let his eyes wander and rest on the sassy prison officer and her piercing gaze once more. As he desperately resumed the futile protection of his dignity, although he wasn't sure if he could have any given that she had just seen him treated in a manner than would mortify a four-year-old, the elephant marched forward and grabbed Nick's boxers from the tray with his trunk. The underwear was hauled up and then thrashed about brutally, smacking multiple times into the wall or the damp and dirty floor before being catapulted into the tray, causing it to jolt back with the force. Suddenly a voice, smooth as honey and dripping with spice and seduction, cut through the air like a knife through golden syrup. Its owner, the sow, was leaning on one of her arms while her smirk and piercing eyes had only got more merciless. "I thought savages like you wouldn't mind being naked?" she said as sassily as was mammally possible, before letting out a subdued chuckle at the end. Nick only pulled back further as he blushed, mind frozen with too many thoughts and feelings to comprehend. Shying away, he raised his tail, holding it in place with both paws. Desperately shifting his gaze away from her, Nick winced at the words of the elephant guard, who had decided to bark out another angry order.

"Undressing means your neck too, Fox!"

A small grin grew on Nick's face, clearing out the mix of thoughts and focussing on the one thing that had remained solid throughout. Nick always loved making people laugh, he always hated overly zealous or proud authority figures and enjoyed sticking them up, and doing both at the same time was something he could focus on rather than let his thoughts and emotions spiral out of control and fly towards another painful zap. As he looked up, his voice regaining some of its confidence and smugness, his face grew into a smile while his paw made and agreeable gesture at the proposition. "Can't agree more, just give me a key and I'll be done faster than you can…"

The elephant merely snorted and leant forward, a guttural growl (or whatever the deep, burbling roar an elephant can give is called) came from his mouth, loud and fierce, as his trunk viciously stabbed at Nick's neck and grabbed the loose tie still hanging around it. "What's the matter, Fox? Got escape tools smuggled in there?"

Nick kept his gaze fixed on the elephant, his own collar shinning orange once more, before glumly looking down. He sighed, his eyes dulling while his ears fell down, as his mind finally put away the comforting denial it had been trying to keep intact since he was first told to strip. Letting go of his tail with both paws, allowing it to drop weakly to the ground where it rested forlornly, Nick's hands reached up and began methodically loosening and undoing the knot. At every stage and every available opportunity, his paw pads were run over the precious fabric and caressed it, savouring the texture and safely filing away the memory, before it was all neatly folded up. Paw shaking slightly as the tie was handed over to the waiting trunk, Nick looked up with his begging eyes and met the bitter and remorseless gaze of the officer's own pair. Snatching it away, the elephant chuckled slightly as he sadistically scrunched it up before violently bowing his nose, with the resultant sticky mess of fabric and snot hurled at the tray. Wincing at the spectacle, Nick, devastated at the mistreatment and confiscation of his father's old tie, merely glanced at the pile of clothes sadly as it was taken away into the storage warehouse, before following the lead of the guard onwards. Watching that one last invaluable, irreplaceable, precious memento of the old fox's warm memory and endless love disappearing from him, potentially forever, Nick felt his heart shatter and tear apart.

.

Nick stood shivering naked in a cold room, the walls and floor plastered with grotty and cracked tiles and with nothing but a small rusting drain to break the monotony. His eyes widened, before they were clenched closed and his arms lifted in front of his face for shelter and protection. Seconds later, a remorseless jet of water was sprayed forward and smashed into him, painfully knocking him backwards into the wall with a loud thud. The water stopped after a few seconds and there was a mean chuckle as a soaked and freezing Nick unplastered himself from back wall, the elephant guard looking on as he turned towards a nearby barrel and sucked up another trunkload of water before letting rip once more. The shivering Fox braced down, but was merely bowled over, comically rolling in the corner as the freezing liquid permeated down to his skin. After the short power shower had finally finished its valiant attempt to peel off Nick's fur, the officer grabbed a damp and tatty towel and chucked it into the bedraggled and shivering fox's chest, knocking the wind out of him through his chattering teeth. Trembling as he caught it, Nick shook off most of the water from his body before trying to dry himself with the meagre scrap of fabric he'd been provided with. Rubbing it across his dripping body in an attempt to remove the worst of the wetness, he worked down from his head towards his feet and tail tip. Meanwhile, a grey trunk came over and hovered above him with a small dripper clasped at its end, releasing a few drops of a noxious anti-flea medicine that fell onto the nape of Nick's neck, merely eliciting a rolling pair of eyes in return. Finally, a pair of briefs and a red prison jumpsuit, baggy and ill fitting, was thrown into Nick's paws before he bent down to begin changing into it, too weary and exhausted to complain or even think.

The jumpsuit, Nick irritably observed as he was led to a dental chair, was an ugly, baggy affront to clothing and fashion that hid his form, clashed with his fur (despite the colours being almost identical) and itched in a way that not even the most thorough scratching could remove. As if knowing this, the guard grabbed his busily scratching paws and held them onto the arm rests, before pulling tight plastic straps around them, fixing them in place. Fastened into the chair, Nick could only shuffle and shake in a futile attempt to satisfy the desperate pleading of his irritated skin.

"Mungo, we have a Fox ready for a full clipping. Get over here!" screamed the elephant guard, before a surly reply came back.

"Hang on boss, I just gotta find the canine clippers…"

Nick gulped as he looked around, his eyes resting with horror on various sets of files and clippers left strewn about across the room, his collar shooting up to orange in agreement. They planned to trim his claws. Leaving him unable to cause any serious harm or even defend himself, as if the collar around his neck wasn't enough! While worried and very scared, Nick did have a suitably cunning plan and smirked slightly as he put it into action. Concentrating hard, he pulled back about half of his claws into their sheaths while leaving the rest fully or partially extended, presenting the illusion that his formerly proud and beautiful appendages were very much worse for wear. Thankfully, the ram doing the clipping seemed to be as much of an idiot as he sounded and, as he wandered up to Nick, he looked down and scowled.

"Yup, this chomper gets into lots of fights. Half his claws are broken!" he observed, as he grabbed a pair of cutters and proceeded to snap off the ends of the remaining claws, all the while eliciting no response from his cooperative victim. After finishing with both hands and feet, he unstrapped all four straps and hurled Nick out into the arms of the elephant guard, laughing as he did so.

"Canines, huh. So much easier than cats. Can't try and hide their ugly blunt claws."

Despite the ongoing stress of the situation, Nick was able to manage a genuine smile and even a stifled giggle as he was led on, proud at finally getting a tiny victory over the system in the war which he had already brutally lost.

.

Passing through the cold grey corridor, an escorting officer both in front and behind, Nick's head hung low while his gaze was fixed on his feet, depression gripping him as the full understanding of where he was and what was happening to him finally hit him like a freight train. He began to ponder whether the others had got out or survived, until something far more important took hold of him. His nose twitched slightly as he inhaled a familiar scent, his drooping ears lifting up with a pang of hope and, as he sniffed further to confirm what he thought, his gaze lifted too. Leaning to his left, peeking out from the side of the elephant's butt, he saw a welcome face walking the other way among the sea of strangers.

"Judy… Officer Judy?" he called out desperately, voice picking up in both volume and hope as Judy came into view in front of him. While Nick was coursing with relief (to the chagrin of his now orange collar), her face was like stone and her eyes trained directly in front of her, surveying the path her ruler straight march and purposeful gate would take her along.

"Listen, please," he began to beg as his hope started to falter, his eyes widening in a desperate attempt to garner even an ounce of sympathy from the bunny. "It wasn't my fault Jorge went savage…" His face was turning, keeping eye contact as she went past but she made no attempt to meet his gaze.

"A wolf shot him with something and he turned… a tiger family saw it all!" his shouts were now truly desperate, trying to break through the cold hard exterior of Judy as she began walking away, still seemingly oblivious to his presence.

"Lupus Savage did it! Short wolf in a hat and a grey green trench coat! Find him… look at security tapes… run his plates or something… please, he's your crook!" Nick's pace slowed as his head bent backwards, desperately trying to see if Judy had registered anything he had said. Her head twitched, and Nick felt a surge of hope as she turned around to face him, only for it to dash as she spoke out, her five words more disappointed than anything else.

"What did I tell you?"

"JUDY!"

Screaming out, Nick pricked his ears as he desperately hoped to hear a reply, only to never get a chance as his escorting guards, evidently annoyed by his slowing pace, rudely pushed him onwards once more as the rabbit vanished around a corner.

.

Turning right, they entered a dark hall which erupted into a fury of shouts and screams, all bitter and angry. Looking at the ranks of cells, mammals stuffed into each of them like sardines in a can, Nick didn't register the sound of a lock opening until he was thrust forcefully into a cell, the reinforced Plexiglas door quickly slamming and sealing shut behind him. Looking up at the prison bed, the only feature in the room apart from a toilet and sink, Nick was taken aback as he saw that it was almost entirely being used by a glum looking grizzly bear and a rhino with an unnerving grin on her face, her eyes uncomfortably following him. The only space left was a narrow area sandwiched between them, which was dutifully filled by the red fox in his red jumpsuit. He looked on at nothing, as despondent and empty as the anonymous bear to his left, until his attention was caught by his other cellmate.

"Hello there, cutie pie…" she said softly, looking over and smiling at Nick. "I'm Lenora. You are?"

"Nick…" he replied, a bit nervous as the quiet reply almost stuttered off is tongue.

"Oooh," she crooned in a worried tone, "we can't have that yucky name for a cute little floof ball like you, can we?" Before he could think of a reply, the rhino gingerly bent down close to him and rested her paw on his head, fussing with the fur on his crown with glee before she spoke out as if to comfort him. "While we're all here, your name is Georgina!"

Nick glanced up nervously, even chuckling at the assumed joke, and began shuffling away from the rhino, although her widening grin and eyes followed him every step of the way. Bumping into the bear, Nick glanced up at him desperate for sympathy or at least conformation that this was an act, but he was merely pushed back to the other side by a resigned brown paw.

"There you go mommy Lenora…" he said sadly, before meekly glancing up at rhino for her approval.

"Thank you Boo Boo, I think you deserve some nice new photo's on furbook or preydit for that," she replied gently, before grabbing Nick tight with one hand, trapping him in her vice like grip, and patting the bear with the other, each hit painfully thumping his scalp and causing his head to shudder down and his eyes wince. "Now little Georgina," she cooed with a warm smile on her lips as she hoisted a stunned Nick onto his back and onto her lap, before holding him firmly in place. Cradled like a baby in her arms, his ears shot back and mouth trembled with worry, while his collar went up to orange as she continued. "I'm your new mommy! Understand?"

Through his terror and trembling, Nick managed to reply with a sullen nod, quickly flicking a nervous smile, before the rhino continued energetically. "Well, welcome to your new forever home pooch! Boo Boo over there is your new big brother and we're going to have so much fun! I'm gonna pet you, and hug you, and squeeze you, and stroke you, and play fetch with you in the yard or go on walkies, and tickle you!" One of her hands lunged forward towards Nick's belly and began a vain attempt to tickle it, the chubby appendage only managing to knock the wind out of him and awkwardly rub his stomach this way and that, as if trying to massage an ache or pain. Looking up, face contorted with sheer confusion, Nick saw the rhino's gleefully happy expression wither away until she suddenly snapped, twisting her head and lunging towards him.

"I'M TICKILING YOU GEORGINA!" she screamed violently, half deafening Nick.

Bolting back with fear, Nick glanced at the grey arm and began awkwardly laughing, audible 'ha's' and 'heh's' punctuating the air. Lenore's angry gaze didn't fade, however, until Nick began play pawing with the tickling arm with his limbs, each paw making a weak token attempt to bat, stroke or claw at her arm. At that point, the mad gaze vanished in a flash and the caring pet lover returned.

"Good doggy Georgina!" she squealed with excitement, as her smiling head dove in to gaze into Nick's eyes. "I'm gonna get you a nice new lead tomorrow and take you for walkies as you're being so good…"

Her mood vastly darkened as her hand went back and grabbed Nick's tail, priming to yank it back and potentially tear it off completely, "Of course, naughty pets get punished… understand?"

Nick frantically nodded in petrified understanding before being flipped over, Lenora now stroking his back while he lay on her legs. He groaned and winced, eyes closed and teeth gritted as her heavy hand painfully stroked along his back, the bones audibly cracking as she went. Resigned to the futility of his new situation, Nick merely listened on as more information about his new life was spilled out.

"Good Georgina… As I say, I'm a great pet owner, really responsible. In fact, I'll be getting you neutered tomorrow!"

Nicks eyes shot open in abject terror, his collar orange, as the painful stroking continued into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

_"You've done it all, you've broken every code,_

_Pulled the rebel to the floor."_

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**Chapter 15**

.

The morning light shafted through the tall and narrow slit windows and into the prison hall, clouds of dust dancing in its golden gaze. It was a flash of warmth and colour, in contrast to the cold and drab grey concrete rib-work of the building. The air was mostly silent, occasionally broken by a quiet murmur or two, before a loud electronic buzz sounded out, accompanied by the clanging of metal bolts slamming open, their loud rings filling the air. The rows of cell doors automatically swung open, while an automated command beckoned out.

"All prisoners, form an orderly queue and make your way towards the cafeteria," came a crackling announcement via a speaker phone, evidently on its last legs seeing as the last word sounded more like the name of some kind of feline goddess rather than its intended word. As a stray feedback induced squeal faded, the air was filled with the sounds of weary moans and exhausted feet stomping forward, with about two dozen or so prisoners exiting their cells and taking up place on the walkway. They were all quiet, eyes half lidden and tired with bored expressions plastered on their faces, while their slumped postures seemed to suggest they had been left out in the hot summer sun for too long and had started to melt like wax. Unfortunately for some, there are always exceptions to the general rule.

"GEORGINA! PET'S WALK ON ALL FOURS!" came a shrill shout, causing many prisoners to wince and glance at its source with pity or resignation, before they looked away and began plodding forwards. The variety of mammals, both pred and prey, marched forwards, except for a bear and a fox who awkwardly trotted with them on all fours, a hulking rhino eagerly urging them on. They stayed this way, stoically suffering their humiliation, as they past other guards and other prisoners, moving through a series of bleak corridors before entering the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria.

"Got another pet Lenora?" came a bored enquiry from the serving officer, who gave a cursory peak at Nick as the rhino gave her excited answer.

"Yup, yup, isn't he the cutest thing? Isn't he, huh?"

The serving officer merely sighed, grabbing another plate as she spoke, "I bet these boys wish they could just be found guilty and sent to the Zoo asap with you around. Here's some dinner for…?"

"Georgina!"

"…right… and Boo Boo's and yours as well. Move along!"

.

By this point, Nick had almost given up any pretence of dignity. When his meal, along with 'Boo Boo's', was placed on the floor without any cutlery, he merely shrugged and began lapping up the tasteless brown mush, which somehow was less appetising than the cricket pulp he used to work with, straight from the plate with his tongue. The rations were meagre even before a good chunk of the meal, such as a side salad and a precious pot of blueberries, were withheld by Lenora. With the exception of the odd bits of gunk that glued themselves to errant strands of muzzle fur, the meal was soon devoured, with both Nick and Boo Boo's plates shuffling along the floor as they tried to lick up any remaining crumbs in order to fill their still hungry stomachs. Suddenly, Nick's ears pricked up and he rose, scanning around before finding the source of the errant sound he had heard. Leaning up on the table, head poking curiously up above its level, he strained to peer at the TV up in the corner of the room, a news report playing on it. Gaze fixed firmly on, he didn't even notice as Lenora gently placed a blueberry on top of his muzzle and softly said, "stay…"

.

- **Meanwhile, at Zootopia city hall** -

.

Mayor Swinton walked onto the stage proud, her head held high and her back straight as a rod. She gave the odd small smile or cursory wave to the baying audience of news crews and camera men, but in general kept a sincere and dignified stance as she stopped by a podium. Glancing back at the white screen behind her for a second, she fixed her gaze forward as the crowd went silent.

"Fellow Zootopians," she began, her voice loud and clear, confident and powerful as it sailed out across the hall and into the waiting microphones. "For the last two years, our citizens have been living in fear. Fear that any predator, a group making up ten percent of our population, could go savage at any time. While distressing, we have seen the usefulness of the tame collar proven time and time again with savage after savage rendered immobile for pick up and permanent quarantine. Yet, there are those in our city who refuse to believe in the evidence in front of them, who wish to recklessly rebel and put lives in risk. Who have, despite knowing better, committed deeds knowing full well what the consequences are."

The white screen behind her flickered to life, revealing the picture of Nick Wilde during his arrest. Half his face was whitewashed from the flash of a camera, while the rest looked shaggy and unkempt, riven with aggressive folds of skin from his feral facial expression. His entire muzzle was scowled up in a wince, exposing rows of gleaming white razor sharp teeth with drops of saliva spraying out from them, while his sole open eye stared out, alert, narrow, fierce and evil. Paws up and claws out ready for violence, while the nooses around his neck were straining with his erratic pulls and tugs… It was no surprise that the entire audience erupted, a scared murmur coursing through all the mammals in attendance.

Turning back from the screen to face them, her head sadly nodding as she inhaled and exhaled, Swinton's gaze and tone hardened. "Nicholas Wilde, aged 32, son of two foxes serving life for plotting to steal a collar key, was arrested last night for allowing a savage to escape his 'medical clinic'. The clinic in question was merely a front for an underground nightclub where, with collars removed, Pred's were encouraged to partake in aggressive and excitable behaviour that glorified savage impulses and behaviour such as stalking, howling, use of claws and teeth and… hunting." As the last word was spat out, in a mixture of anger and disgust, the mayor looked down, bitter and frustrated as the fearful murmur in the crowd continued. She looked up wearily, almost sighing or shrugging, before finishing in a weary, nonchalant tone. "The end result was, sadly, inevitable…"

The entire crowd gasped in shock as the next image was plastered on the screen. Jorge, hunched over, was bitterly fighting the four officers trying to move him around. A metal muzzle strapped tightly across his face, its cold steel cruelly clamping his jaws shut, was clearly resisting his evident attempts to vainly tear and prise it apart. White teeth shone out of his jaw, their razor edges catching the light, while large black and soulless eyes looked on, absent of any thought or compassion.

"This is why we have the collars!" Swinton continued, a fiery resolve coursing through her veins as her voice became strong and confident, as she swung her arm out to proudly display the entire scene. "To stop this happening! We must ignore the naïve fools who promote the banning of collars, or rather creating continuous danger and risk for our population as a whole." She paused for a bit, coughing slightly as she muttered the words "Gazelle…" under her breath. "As for those who actively try to remove collars, who flirt with the risk…" she began, her mood and tone darkening. "Firstly, I have it on good authority from the head judge that we can bar anybody who they uncollared from testifying for them under any circumstance! Seeing as those witnesses already broke a key responsibility of citizenship and so can't be trusted, I see no reason why courts of law should bother with their almost certainly fabricated testimonies… and once the collar removers are found guilty, I assure you, I will throw the book at them hard!"

Her clenched fist pumped down as the crowd erupted. Cheers, questions, shouts… they were all ignored as Swinton walked gracefully off the stage and into the building behind, vanishing from the cameras.

.

"Swinton, my Cariad Bach! You were chuffing marvellous!"

"Your pleasantries are most appreciated Woolly, but please refrain from using them ever again," Swinton replied in a grating monotone voice, actively avoiding eye contact, or contact of any type, with the excited sheep who quickly began trotting after her, munching from his regular bag of shredded paper.

"We do have a minor problem ma'am, though. The ZPD say we can't find this chomper's three friends! No trace of them."

Swinton's eyes opened slightly at the revelation, before she shook her head and sighed. "They didn't find a secret amusement park for three months or so… I don't rate their detective skills highly."

"Well, I suppose that that was the secret part wasn't it? Wouldn't be secret if they found it right away, would it?"

Swinton merely sighed again, groaning as she rolled her eyes and turned back to face Woolly. She studied the ever eager sheep for a moment like he was a museum piece, as she rested her weight on one leg and put her hand on her hip. "Sometimes I really think I'm paying you not to think."

"Well Ma'am, you did tell me that this job would involve following all your wishes and desires. At the very least, you're paying me with the thinking stuff coming in at my discretion and what not."

"Personally, Woolly, whether thinking is at your discretion or not, I think the difference between the two situations is hardly noticeable."

"I think statistically irrelevant is a better phrase, Ma'am."

Swinton chuckled slightly, "you've been eating that science stuff again, haven't you?"

Woolly, mid-way through a rather large bite, excitedly nodded as Swinton, and then himself, moved on.

.

- **Back in the ZPD precinct one jail** -

.

Nick stood still, his eyes open and mouth nervously trembling, as he finished watching the news report. His ears hung low and weak as stock photographs of Honey, Finnick, and Clawhauser all flashed by with large wanted signs and the details to hand them in branded below. A large kangaroo judge was then shown, vowing proudly to preside over the case, with scrolling text beneath naming him as 'beasty boxer Bruce'. As the tales of his extra-long and ultra-severe sentences for preds scrolled past, the camera flicked and a jury of rabbits was shown being sworn in, many of them smiling as they held up their personal bottles of Fox-Away (and one near the back battling excitedly with a high powered Fox Taser). All throughout the report, nothing could distract Nick's unflinching, neurotic and despondent gaze from the ever-piling odds against him.

"Good Foxy, Georgina," came the soft voice of Lenora, as Nick slipped back into reality. Flinching slightly with confusion as his ears stood back up, his gaze focussed on the large pile of blueberries oddly resting on his snout as Lenora slowly began to lower a final one on, ready to complete the blue pyramid.

"You're a very good Foxy. Now wait… wait…" she said dotingly, as the final blueberry rested on top of the pile, completing the structure, only for it to immediately collapse under its own weight and spill onto the floor.

"BAD FOX," screamed the rhino, her mood flashing over to a vile anger. Before he could react, Nick felt a rolled up newspaper smack down painfully on top of his head, right between the ears. He flinched down at the impact and let out a shocked 'Yip!', his eyes grimacing with pain as his collar shot up to orange and ears bolted down. All thought shaken out of him for a moment, he opened his eyes cautiously and looking up, his dazed vision and swimming head could make out Lenore's angry stare as she razed the paper for another hit. "Don't you dare growl at me," she warned, "or Mamma's gonna newspaper you again!"

Before he could react, an angry shout came from the other side of the cafeteria, every inmate around pausing what they were doing to listen. "Prisoner 18289! Repeat, Prisoner 18289! Follow Me!"

Glancing down and double checking at the number on his uniform, Nick bolted off with relief to meet the guard, leaving Lenora confused, shocked, and then furious.

"FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD FOX! YOU'LL BE IN THE PUPPY CAGE FOR THAT GEORGINA!" she screamed, almost sounding more betrayed and sad than angry, as Nick reached the guard almost collapsed from exhaustion. Cradling his screaming chest, swelling and shrinking from his deep breaths, Nick looked up, tongue panting and wearing a thin smile across his face, as he silently greeted his saviour. The response was a pair of heavy black hooves that twisted him around, fastening his paws tightly behind his back with a pair of cold steel handcuffs that cut through his fur and bit his skin, before leading him on.

"Saved by the bull," Nick smugly remarked as he looked behind him at the hulking aurochs.

"Shut your trap chomper!" he muttered back, "It's about time to see what your crimes have gone and done."

"Pardon…" Nick enquired, voice faltering slightly as he began to wonder what on earth he was talking about.

"I'm here to show you to your victim, fox!"

Nick gulped slightly, as he was led on down a pair of stairs and into the pitch black of the basement.

.

The air was cold and damp, the occasional spot of condensation dripping off the odd pipe or beam that crisscrossed the roof. The meagre light given by the occasional bulb illuminated half a dozen massive steel doors, each painted blood red and resting on thick hinges. On each one, the words: Warning: Savage Predator, were stencilled in with thick white acrylic, the paint dripping down in lines from each word and ending in a solid congealed drop that stuck out from the surface, frozen in time. A loud bang suddenly shook through the air, causing Nick to cower slightly in shock, before a prod in the back from a police baton moved him on. Then there was a growl, guttural and without any sense of intelligence, before what sounded like a mournful moan followed. There was a smash, the next door along shaking in its hinges as the groaning got louder. Nick had dreamed of Jorge last night, among many other things, and the horrific change that had burned through the bear, wiping away his mind and personality and leaving him a mindless killing husk, had been among the worst. More than Lupus Savage, it had been Jorge that had come for Nick, baying for a revenge that no amount of sweet talking could render moot. If his dreams were anything to go by, a nasty shock was the least of his worries. His collar already shinning bright orange, Nick came level with the observation slit, trembling with fear, as it was rammed open like a rifle bolt.

"Jorge?" Nick tentatively asked, leaning forward slowly as he tried to peer into the grey cell beyond. There was nothing, just a grey, dark nothingness, and then two eyes shot to Nick's level and pierced back.

"Waaah" Nick screamed, stumbling backwards and cowering in surprise, before his collar gave him a little  **Zip….** , twitching up his face in a painful scowl.

The eyes looked on, and then peered down sadly. "Hey Nick…"

"Jorge?" Nick hopefully replied, his eyes widening and ears perking up, "You're, you're okay?"

"I feel a bit… a bit tipsy but yeh, I'm okay."

"Just okay?" Nick began to chuckle, moving forward to talk back to Jorge as his mood (and collar) warmed right up with elation. "You're no longer savage! I mean, you'll be out here in moments and you'll be able to tell everyone about that wolf and…"  **Zap…**  Nick flinched down and gritted his teeth as his collar gave him a short shock for his excitement, a painful groan escaping him. After the second of pain had finished, he rose up smiling, only for that smile to fade as he looked on at Jorge's sad eyes.

"Nick… The vets say that all the other savages went back to normal after a few days… They don't care though," Jorge mumbled despondently, jolting his eyes to the side in order to gesture at the prison guard who was observing, but not the least bit interested in the whole ordeal.

His mouth trembling and eyes open, Nick spoke up, "So what happens to you?"

"Permanent Quarantine, stops the 'disease' spreading. Won't even be able to give witness in your trial."

Nick paused, as bleak memories of the mayor's interview flooded back into his mind, before he sighed and looked down bitterly. "No one who had their collar off can. All the witnesses who could save me, ruled out…" The silence permeated the air, only the sounds of dripping water and breath registering to all those in attendance for a few seconds. Then, his entire body, from posture and tail to mouth, ears and eyes, rose up with some untapped energy and he spoke. "Well… at least you know what I had to live with," Nick said sarcastically, smiling at the end of his quip as he merrily gestured around at the conditions of the corridor (or at least he tried to, seeing as both hands were still cuffed).

There was a quiet chuckle from the other side of the door, before Jorge jokingly spoke out. "Go savage on some stinking prey for me Nick."

"When the time's right, it would be a pleasure…"

The conversation was cut short as the metal plate slammed back into position, brutally cutting the line of sight and communication between the two mammals. The auroch guard looked at Nick and grunted. "Follow me, you're wanted for questioning."

.

The escort took Nick back up into the light of the upper corridor, and then across the small exercise yard towards the bulk of the ZPD central precinct. Glancing to his right, Nick could see the yard in all its magnificent glory. Cracked concrete tiles, the height of correctional fashion thirty years ago, bordered around the bleak perimeter wall. To one side, a pock marked concrete football pitch with only the faintest traces of lines stood, its two rusting goalposts at either end have no netting. Considering the lack of a ball though, that wasn't much of an issue in the grand scheme of things. Much of the rest of the yard was composed of a sandy covering that spread across the remaining area, with an occasional spurt of spiny marram grass here or there which had survived the relentless onslaught of aimlessly wandering prisoners. The various mammals exercising or strolling about in the sunlight most definitely looked aimless and bored by and large, and who wouldn't be when it was the most encouraged past time. There were some, however, who stared at Nick furiously, their faces scowling and fists or hooves warming themselves up ready to apply a rigorous beating. All of them were big prey mammals, with the fellow predators who were present generally looking away or giving Nick a cursory wave and smile. It seemed that news of his exploits had travelled fast, for better or worse.

A muffled scream caught Nick's attention, and he looked over to see a silver fox tail, white tipped and frantically waving, sticking out from beneath a large, fat (even for his species) and dumb looking hippo. Two legs, silver with black ends, frantically tried to get a grip on the sandy surface, kicking up dust into a billowing cloud as they attempted to evacuate its owner from its current predicament. The hippo looked down and merely chuckled, rubbing his rear end further into the dusty floor and his victim before he looked up and met Nick's concerned gaze. He scowled, a growl escaping his mouth and giant teeth showing, before he pointed at Nick and his eyes widened. His finger shot down, now pointing at the fox beneath him, and then turning to point at himself before pointing back at Nick and repeating the process. All through this, his gaze had stayed fixed on Nick, whose collar shot up to orange as he frantically nodded in understanding.

"Don't you condemn the face sitting thing?" Nick asked, his tone rather worried as he looked up at his escorting guard.

The guard glared down at Nick and shouted out his reply, "I don't condemn anything that puts your kind in your place, chomper!"

"Well," Nick quietly sighed to himself, "I don't think this afternoon can get any worse…" His gaze lifted to a corner where he saw Lenora and Boo Boo. The latter was dancing, rather unenthusiastically, on his two feet while Lenora looked on smiling and cheering. The rhino, however, seemed to be diverting a good chunk of her attention into two red bricks which she was slamming together end to end, continually practicing and perfecting her technique. She paused, eyes glancing up and spotting Nick, at which point she smiled and waved, before turning back to the bricks with heightened vigour and bringing them together again with even more force.

Nick's terrified gaze swung away, his eyes wide and ears shooting back and, as he loudly gulped, he heard a beep as his collar went red.

.

The interrogation room was dim and bleak, although why Nick had expected anything else he didn't know. His left hand was tightly cuffed to the armrest of his steel chair, the cold metal cutting through his fur and reaching his skin in a way that not even his collar did. Fixed, immobile and quite bored, he was completely unable to escape the confinement and forced to entertain himself by shuffling and shaking in his chair, wincing slightly whenever it painfully scratched against the concrete floor. His gaze held low, he stared intently at the large drainage grate underneath the table, wondering what the myriad of pipes and wires in the steam tunnels below were for. Maybe they led all the way back to his old flat? A sound suddenly pricked his ears and Nick watched the grate shudder and shake, jumping up and down in its fitting, the mortar that once fixed it in place having long since broken away, as a pair of heavy footsteps came closer. There was the metallic clang of a bolt unlocking, before the door to the room opened and revealed a massive cape buffalo, his muscular figure filling the doorway. He growled slightly, his lower jaw chewing some cud or something as his intimidating stare looked on. Unlike many other officers or guards, he was dressed in blue finery with multiple stars and medals pinned on. He was top brass, pompous and arrogant, and the kind of mammal that Nick couldn't resist annoying.

"Helloooo," Nick cheerfully chirped, pulling out the tail end of the word while raising his pitch, all the while giving a comically wide smile and a tiny little wave with his free hand.

The buffalo merely rolled his eyes, before looking down to his left. "You take him Hopps, I haven't got time for this mangy fox!" he said, angrily emphasising the last word while his no-nonsense accent conveyed more than a healthy dose of authority, along with an even heavier dose of 'why am I even bothering' (among other things).

"I have a name, you know," Nick jovially shot back, shrugging.

"I know, I just don't care," shrugged back the buffalo, as Judy Hopps purposefully walked in.

"Thank you chief, I'll take it from here," she replied, her voice stern, short and sharp.

"Chief is it? You should have your own brand of motivational greeting cards!"

The police chief merely looked away and spat with disgust before walking off, loudly slamming the door shut and letting Judy take over.

"So now that officer Buffalo Butt has skedaddled, have you run the plates?" Nick asked, his tone becoming serious as he hunkered down, looking pleadingly into Judy's contemptuous eyes and hoping she'd fulfilled his request from the night before.

"We're not here to discuss that," Judy replied, without a hint of emotion or care in her voice as she tried to flick the topic to a different path.

"You're a detective, aren't you?" Nick quizzically shot back, his head and ears tilting and free arm gesturing as he spoke. "You want the truth. You want to do good. You want fame? This Lupus Savage guy is the one making mammals go savage! Ask Jorge down in confinement. Ask the Tiger family who saw him getting shot!"

"Listen," Judy said sternly, as she slammed her clipboard full of notes onto the table, before sweeping them to one side. "While the first two were right, you almost got however many mammals killed or injured. You blew off my warnings like they were mindless guff! And now, seeing as your hair brained plan has inevitably gone down the toilet, you come up with a wild story about an evil wolf who darts predators! I mean, even if true, why on earth would he do that? This is a serious investigation, we're not here to discuss the nutty stuff…"

"Good, the squirrels are far better at that," Nick cut in sarcastically, before continuing on in a serious tone. "How hard can it be to follow this one lead?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Really Slick? You made that joke yesterday."

Nick's eyes widened, a small grin growing on his face. "That long ago, only seems like ten-fifteen minutes. You also forgot that only my best friends can call me by that name, so either you're a very dumb Bunny or you're a friend who will help me. I think I know which one you wanna be. So, with this lead, just do some research and stuff and then report back to me. Is it really that hard?"

"Very easy in fact," Judy smiled back, having recovered from the insulting slur she had just heard. "Look up wolves called Lupus Savage in the census, find that there are none, done!"

Nick's mouth opened, and his ears fell back with worry, before they perked up again as his eyes widened with realisation. "Maybe it was a fake name? I mean, just run the plates of those who left without the police getting them and find the wolf with the funny accent!"

Judy's deadpan gaze continued, before her eyelids and ears sadly dropped and her nose began twitching. "Listen, that's not my department," she began apologetically. "While I am personally interested in pursuing your case, I'm actually here to give you an offer. I hear you're in with Lenora?"

Nick's eyes and ears dropped as he bitterly replied. "Yup, lucky me. What's with her anyway?"

"The officers at the real prison hate her and keep sending her back, so we have to deal with her. That's the way the carrot grows."

"Carrots…" Nick chuckled, "it's surprising how predictable and cute…"

"Don't call me cute!" Judy shot in angrily, nose twitching rapidly as she leapt up onto the table and strolled over, finger out ready to tell her prisoner off. "You are in line for a life sentence with no parole, so I advise you listen to all the help I can give you! You have three accomplices who are missing, give me their location and I can bring it down to forty max."

Nick pulled back with disgust, his collar flaring up to orange, before he closed his eyes, shook his head defiantly and looked away.

"Come on Fox," Judy coaxed encouragingly, "I know your kind better than your naïve friends do…!" A thin growl escaped Nick's mouth, getting louder and fiercer as Judy continued. "It's their fault for being involved with you and they have no reason to expect you to stay silent. I mean, Foxes can't be trusted, have no loyalty…"

 **Buzz…**  Nick shuddered, a muffled scream escaping his gritted mouth replacing his growl as the painful shock coursed through his neck for several seconds, before he opened his eyes and gazed piercingly at a now worried Judy.

"Us foxes don't do that fluff, and even if we did, I never would!" he grunted fiercely, embers of fury glowing hot at the vile slander of his species' and his own honour and integrity. Even the 'nice' bunny genuinely believed that he would sell out his lifelong friends and partners without batting an eyelid. He wished she knew how wrong she was, how he, or almost every fellow Fox in the same position would never dare hurt Finnick, Clawhauser or Honey. But there were no words that could get it across without frying him crispy, and even then she wouldn't listen. They never did, they were Prey and he was just a filthy chomper.

"Too bad Wilde," Judy shrugged nonchalantly, "by the way, I gave Lenora a nice new leash which straps well around your collar. Think about that for a second."

Nick just stared on silently as Judy put her head down and began scribbling some notes. However, he wasn't going to merely sit there, he had a plan. A small grin growing on his muzzle, he extended one of his intact claws and began picking at the lock around his wrist. Carefully moving it around the basic lock, he got a feel for the mechanism and began turning it carefully so that the metallic clicks didn't get too loud. He wasn't quiet enough, however, as Judy's ears pricked with the odd sound, before resting back down to normal. Collar shooting up to orange and his worried breathing rate increasing, Nick opened his jaw wide and inhaled a lung full of air, before beginning a long, loud, exaggerated yawn as his claw flicked through the last pin and released the mechanism with a click.

Smiling, as he began to cautiously ease his paw out, he felt down to the grate with his feet and carefully lifted it up via their set of claws, exposing the entrance to the steam tunnel below. He chuckled to himself with pride at his achievement. Now, all he needed was a suitable distraction so that he could get a head start.

"Hey, wanna hear a Joke?"

"No…"

"What do you call a three humped camel?"

"I don't care…"

"Pregnant!"

Judy paused for a second as she looked at her notes, a tiny grin flicking on her mouth as her eyelids almost shut. Groaning, she rolled her eyes as her head tilted up, before dropping down into her paws as she digested the corniness of the joke. A smaller chuckle escaped her, before she smiled slightly, her mouth unobstructed by the paws covering her eyes.

"Call that a Joke, Slick? Here's a Joke," she began, her eyes still closed with smugness. "What do you call an albino carrot…"

"…"

"A Parsnip!" she shouted, eyes opening and arms gesturing out, only to see that she was alone in the room. As her punchline echoed about, her eyes widened like dinner plates while her ears shot up alert and her mouth widened into a horrified gasp. Glancing around desperately with a nose twitching as much as bunnilly possible, she noticed the hole on the bottom of the floor, covered with a metallic grate. Leaning down, she tenderly grabbed it and pulled it up, shocked that it was loose before she bent down to peek in. Her ears scanning around, they honed in on something before her head shot out from the hole and back into the air. Grabbing her radio from her pocket, she flicked it on screamed into it, "ESCAPING PRISONER!" before tearing a tranquiliser gun from her holster and leaping down into the tunnel after him.


	16. Chapter 16

_"Keep on running, keep on running."_

**Chapter 16:**

.

His lungs burned, his throat burned, his legs burned, his entire body burned with raw energy as Nick charged down the tunnel in a relentless search for a way out. At every stage he carefully monitored his mood and his collar, desperately trying to keep the adrenaline that should be his biggest ally under control. Too much thrill, too much excitement… Small Preds like him had always known that the collar didn't care about the difference between fight and flight, if you were in trouble of any kind you kept your cool or it was zap city. But he had hope, hope for the first time since that fateful moment when Jorge was shot. Nick's mouth widened into a giant grin, cheering himself on with elation as he ducked and weaved erratically through the maze of service corridors and ducts.

"Escaping Prisoner…" came an echoing call from behind, closely followed by the rapid beating of small feet on the cold concrete floor. Nick merely shrugged lazily and sniffed the air, before ducking to the left, and then the right, and then the left again, all in rapid succession. Burrowing himself cosily into a small alcove, occupied by a myriad of mouldy old mops and other cleaning equipment, Nick hunkered down and used them to cover himself. He even gave himself a self-congratulatory smirk as he hid the glowing light of his collar with his paw, and nestled backwards into the embrace of the shadows.

'Beat this Fluff,' he smugly thought to himself, 'I have the sense of smell, I have the night vision, I'm on home territory…'

The rhythmic beating of feet got louder and reached a crescendo, accompanied by a backing track of deep and rapid breathing, before beginning to taper off as it vanished into the distance.

'Sly Fox one, Dumb bunny zero,' Nick thought again, as he slowly rose up and disentangled himself from the nest of poles he was under, only for an errant one to tip over fall away from his grasp. Nick froze, eyes fixing on the falling pole and his arm desperately darted out to catch it, only for his sudden movement to send a dozen or so other ones on their way to the floor. Watching on helplessly as they crashed onto the hard concrete, before bouncing up and down as their metallic ring's echoed out into the halls, Nick gulped nervously as his ears picked up, swivelling around and focussing on the beating of footprints getting louder and louder. Nick legged it, charging down the corridor and swinging to his right just as a tranquiliser dart sailed past him, so close that he felt the wind direction change on his fur, before it burrowed itself in a nearby wall.

"You can't run forever Fox!" came a determined shout from behind, Nick swivelling his head to see Judy's silhouette in the distance, a distance that was closing with every second. Determined to prove her wrong, Nick put on an extra bolt of speed as he charged towards two thin shafts of light that lay up ahead, permeating through the dark ceiling and casting two orange smudges on the floor.

"My name's Nick, Carrots, and I assure you, I can!" he shot back, before leaping up and grasping a low hanging pipe. His momentum carrying him on, Nick's feet crashed into the underside of the mammal-hole cover and sent it tipping up and over. Judy paused, recoiling from the blinding glare of the bright daylight spearing in, as Nick's feet came to tentatively rest on the outside surface, his surviving claws desperately latching on to the metal lip. Within seconds, he pushed off the pipe he was holding onto and grabbed the other side of the hole's rim with his paws, before flipping himself up and out into the open world. The light was intense, especially given the fact that Nick's eyes had just been operating in night mode, but the warmth of the sun and the fresh dry air were worth it, this was freedom! Finally up on the surface, Nick immediately went for the heavy steel cover he had just dislodged, flipping it back down onto the hole just as Judy leapt up to meet him. There was a loud bang, as the cover jumped up before resting down again, before it was followed by a long and pained 'Owww…' from below. The Killer Bunny was still a danger, so Nick grabbed a nearby picnic table, complete with inbuilt benches and parasol, and slid the heavy item across the floor and onto the steel cover.

"Not a holy hand grenade, but it'll do," Nick snickered as he rubbed his paws in triumph, nodding and grinning with pride and achievement as the entire edifice jumped again, with the same metallic bang, but sadly not accompanied by a repeated 'ow'. The cool outside air ruffling and caressing through his fur, Nick lazily turned around, only to witness hundreds of shocked mammals paused in motion, glancing at him with their phones out. Eyes widening with panic, Nick looked around and was horrified to see that he had escaped into the main city plaza, right in front of hundreds of mammals and the ZPD central precinct, which loomed menacingly above him. As if to prove a point, there was a smash to the right as doors slammed open and a battalion of heavily armed police officers marched out. Nick backed off in terror as they spotted him, mouth trembling open while his eyes widened with fear, before he turned and bolted into the crowd, ears slunk back with newly found grit and determination. Within seconds, he was in the moving forest of large fauna, Zebra's, Hippo's, Ox's, Rhino's, Giraffes, Elephants and all manner of other massive mammals that could easily stomp him were panicking with horror as an aggressive con-fox charged through their midst. They didn't have much time to rest before the following phalanx of officers cut through the remaining crowd remorselessly, their marching boots shaking the ground violently as they went past. Further back, there was a loud bang as a table and mammal-hole cover were sent flying into the air. Shooting into the sky before landing nimbly into a combat roll and rising to her feet, Judy's faced scowled as she took in the pandemonium in front of her. Flicking a switch on her holstered Fox-Taser and giving a bitter spit from the corner of her mouth, she charged headlong into the fray.

.

Nick weaved through crowded streets and back alleys, blindly racing across busy roads and bustling sidewalks as he narrowly missed countless cars that shot past, their tires squealing and horns blaring. Looking back, he knew that the oncoming army of police officers would make his first arrest look like a picnic, and besides, he wasn't going to give up now. He had to lose them first, and then get a new outfit second. Incognito, he would make it to a safe place and then hunker down and plan what to do next, but that would be impossible in his current attire. Getting new clothes should be a fairly easy task, while he had a cunning plan for the former. Turning forward, Nick saw a police car slam on its breaks and squeal to a halt right in front of him, giving him mere seconds to react. Leaping onto its top, he vaulted forwards and over the streaming river of traffic on the road in order to get to the other side.  **Zap….**  The adrenaline had finally got to him, his collar making the point abundantly clear as he just about stuck the landing. Still in full panic mode, the normally painful shock merely registered as bad facial twitch as Nick turned and rested his back on a peace memorial, hyperventilating as he tried to allay the burnings cramps coursing through his muscles and lungs, both from his recent shock and the stress of the chase. More officers were gathering on the other side of the road, held back by the flowing traffic as they stood angry and determined, poised to finish their duty. Inevitably, but still far too soon for his liking, the lights turned red and the traffic halted allowing the force to charge forward, a determined Judy at their helm. His eyes widening at the unforeseen complication to his plan, Nick turned and fled, merely quipping "no rest for the wicked," in a nervous chuckle as he raced towards the entrance to Little Rodentia. The hulking mass of officers followed him, flatting the peace statue under their steel boots as Nick dove and scurried through the narrow entrance to the rodent district, its normal inhabitants fleeing in abject terror at his sight. Looking back as he ran, not caring for any road etiquette this time, Nick saw the tide of officer's slam into the iron railings, the metal buckling them with the force of their charge, as their screams rang out. Normally, he should have free rein to race across to the other side and escape through any one of the other exits, but these weren't normal times. Looking down to the entrance, Nick watched as Judy shot through and tunnel and rose, grinding to a halt on her feet. Alert and poised, she fixed her eyes on him and charged.

.

With a nervous squeal, Nick ran forwards and began to race towards the other side of the district, hoping that the larger officers outside wouldn't have got there by the time he made his escape. The buildings of the district tended to come up to his chest, giving him a complete view over the perimeter fence. However, he knew that it would give the officers a good view of him too so he leant down, letting his figure vanish among the sea of roofs and his position remaining unclear. Officers, both big and small, weren't his only problem as it was rush hour and the roads were crowded with hundreds of miniature vehicles. Leaping left to right, Nick's feet narrowly dodged the panicked motorists as he pushed forward, ever mindful of Judy approaching him fast from behind. The bunny was making a healthy pace too and would have caught up with him, had she not been nervously dodging each and every car and pedestrian that got in her way. Glancing back and smirking at her misfortune, Nick's ears suddenly pricked up as he heard a familiar  _Beep Beep_  and, looking down with dread, he spotted the Gerbil Jerks power slide into view, their car squealing as it kicked up a cloud of smoke and left jet black tire marks on the road. They looked at Nick with shock, pointing at him, before their expressions turned to glee with the opportunity of a fine hunt. Revving their engine and beeping their horn, they overtook Judy and began weaving precisely through the erratic traffic as if they were special police pursuit officers, rapidly catching up with Nick and preparing to strike. Looking down at them, however, Nick merely laughed as he raised his already high tail even higher, putting it well out of danger.

"Not this time!" he shouted, before leaning to his right and beginning to half leap down a side street in an abrupt change of direction. The Jerks, however, had other plans and went full throttle for Nick's planted foot, roaring over it just as it began to lift off. As they swung their tilting car around and let its wheels plant themselves back on the tarmac, they laughed and high-fived as they saw their victim's reaction. While not as painful as going over the tail, the pain did elicit a definite 'Yip' from Nick and tipped his already dangerously stimulated collar over into the red. Flying through the air, already off balance, a quick  **Zap…**  turned Nick's limbs to jelly as he touched back down on the ground, leaving him to chaotically spin and turn as he desperately tried to regain his footing. Stumbling backwards, Nick's left foot caught the electric line for a set of streetlights and he tripped, spinning around and falling over face first into a house made of toilet roll that was unfortunate enough to be in his path. His paws desperately thrust out, they dug into the once pristine vegetable gardens and turfed them up into heaps as they slowed his fall. The Cardboard construction stood no chance and it buckled and collapsed as Nick landed onto it, eliciting thousands of screams as surrounding rodents scurried away in abject terror. The only thing that made it worse was a repeated  _Beep Beep_ , as the Jerks circled around and charged over Nick's flaccid tail, eliciting a second  **Zap…**  and leaving his face to fall straight into the remains of the cardboard construct as his arms gave way, flattening it completely just seconds after a furious mouse charged out.

"Well done boys," came a happy cry, which soon turned furious, "OK Slick, it's time to Box this Fox!"

Turning around, Nick saw Judy marched towards him with a pair of handcuffs spinning in one hand and a Taser primed in the other. Her heavy scowl and narrow eyes seemed to suggest that she planned on using both, regardless of the situation. Trembling, as he got on his two feet, Nick looked around as he backed up defensively into the building behind him. Leaning onto it, he felt it move, tilting over on its foundations, and he suddenly had an idea. He jumped up onto the building's roof and steadied himself as he stood up, the house's timbers creaking and cracking as it took the strain of his load, before he turned to Judy and smiled.

"Ever liked Dominoes, Fluff?"

Her eyes darted open with shock from the realisation of his plan, but before she could react Nick had leapt off of the building he was on and onto the one next door, sending the former into a dangerous lean. Realising what was about to happen, Judy made for the falling house and caught it, holding it steady in her paws before pushing it back upright. She sighed with relief, only to turn to face Nick who, having run along the top of a row of houses to her left, had reached their end at a nearby rail viaduct.

"Seems you do, Lovely!" he cheerily shouted over to her, "Good news, I have some more."

With that, Nick planted his feet on the roof of the nearest house and, with his back and arms on the brick viaduct, pushed. The first house tilted into its neighbour, which tilted into its neighbour, which tilted into its neighbour, which carried on and on, each house tilting more and more. Nick saw Judy plant her feet into the ground and brace against the nearest house, ready to stop the fall, before he leapt onto the viaduct and ran down it. Laughing to himself, he saw the arched glass roof of Little Rodentia central approaching in the distance and, beyond it, the faint outline of the lush trees of the rainforest district peaking up through the gaps in the skyline, a welcoming safe haven nestled somewhere within them. Glancing down, however, he saw lines of Police officers march around the outside fence, stun guns poised ready. Every now and again, one would splinter off from the main group and, fixing their angry sights on Nick, stand guard. His running slowing down as his ears rose and eyes widened, Nick looked around vulnerably for another escape plan, before a sharp horn jolted him alert again. Looking down, Nick spotted an orange express train that had just left the station, picking up speed as it sailed onwards. Smiling with genius of his new plan, Nick casually wandered to the side and let the front of the train slip past, before hopping onto the carriages and surfing on, riding his escape route with style all the way to the border.

"You Maniac…" he heard, his ears pricking as he shot past the place where he had got on the viaduct. Looking to his side, he saw Judy, who had hopped back when the train had roared past, furiously yelling at him, "Do you know how many rodents you may have hurt?"

"Just some stupid Prey? Not my problem Carrots," Nick yelled back, laughing as he saw Judy get left behind by the speeding train. His laugh didn't last long, however, as he turned to face forward and saw the obstacles suddenly approaching up ahead. Racing up to meet Nick were a set of tube walkways, each one connecting buildings either side of the tracks and allowing Rodents to safely cross. One was doing so just now, looking so prim and proper with his business suit and newspaper, but he yelped in terror as he saw the oncoming Fox. Nick contorted his body, narrowly missing the pipes as he slipped through. Another set was next, and Nick repeated the manoeuvre, only for his paw to clip a pipe and send him spinning. Turning around and hopping on one foot, Nick frantically tried to maintain his balance as the final set came into view. A low pipe went straight across the roof of the train so Nick jumped, painfully groaning as he stretched his legs into somewhat of a split, before letting out a far more painful yelp as he landed slap bang on his groan. There was a beep and a long  **Buzz….** , Nick's body contorting and face grimacing as the electricity surged through him, although he was able to fix his paws to the train and somehow ride the shock out. Opening his eyes, Nick was flushed with relief as he was met with the welcome sight of the district exit tunnel looming open and wide up ahead, with no trace of the fuzz to be seen. Then, the not so welcome sight of Judy's feet flashed into view. Having run behind him and leapt over him, she swung on a high tube and launched herself to meet him, planting her feet straight into his face in a flash of pain and sending his world spinning as he flew backwards.

Flipping head over heels, Nick managed to make out the two cars below him and manoeuvre his feet so that they planted themselves straight into their backs. Now, Nick had never been one for roller-skating, and the presence of motors and steering in these skates made it even worse. As the terrified drivers inside screamed out, Nick frantically tried to control his direction, somehow making a U-turn back towards the district exit. Picking up speed as he travelled forward, Nick got onto the straight road leading up to the open aperture, with the only obstacle in the way being a large Donut shop in the centre of a plaza. A giant plastic donut, with the establishments name proudly emblazoned on it, was fixed to the roof and sticking up right into Nick's path. He would have attempted to go right, or left, but what little control he had over the cars on his feet vanished as he raced forward. Finally, desperately, Nick jumped and let his feet leap out of the cars and fly, only to catch on the Donut as he sailed over and pull him down. After a few airborne seconds in which to register the fast approaching road and think, 'Oh Crap,' Nick landed front first onto the tarmac, his muzzle painfully taking the brunt of the damage. Teeth and bones rattling as he skidded all the way down the road before eventually stopping, Nick tentatively looked up to see a rathe confused mouse just in front of him, looking on. His limbs shaking and face raw, Nick got to his feet before glancing down at his neck and sighing in relief at his still orange collar, somehow still safe after all he'd been through.

"Stop right there!"

Red collar,  **Zap….**  Unflinching, Nick looked back and saw Judy charging towards him, even more resolved than ever. His legs were burning at this stage, lungs exhausted and head dizzy. Every part of him hurt, but (quite importantly) not as much as they would if the police caught him after the ruckus he had made. Raising his head and glancing around, Nick proceeded to hunker down onto all fours and race off into a side street, then down another, before turning and weaving as he sneakily made his way towards the district edge in a random route. Laying low, his body was hidden in the maze of buildings, while Judy was lost and blindly searching for him. He grinned slightly as his tense body relaxed somewhat, chuckling as he crawled towards the fence, only to fall silent when he looked the other way, coming face to face with a hotel, its front balconies brimming with dinning patrons.

.

Meanwhile, a good distance away, Judy was sneaking around the buildings. Hugging the walls closely, she peered around each corner with her Taser armed and poised, knowing that Nick could be around any corner. This time however, she came face to face with a panicked shrew who peeked out of a window, before resting her eyes on Judy.

"Hi," Judy smiled, before speaking out reassuringly. "Judy Hopp's ZPD, I'm here to sort out the minor Foxzilla problem…"

The sounds of the city were suddenly drowned out by a set of shrill screams and panicked voices, pricking both Judy's and the Shrew's ears.

"That'll be him!" she cried, running off. "I love the Leopard skin jeggings by the way…" she added whimsically as she vanished into the distance, barely hearing the Shrews enthusiastic reply.

"Come on Judy… Kick his Arse!"

Judy ran at full tilt, darting past buildings and panicking crowds of rodents, before coming to a halt near a large hotel, its balconies stocked to the gills with dinning patrons. "Have you…" she began, but the mass pointing in unison made it clear that they had. Turning around, she nervously went forward, scanning her surroundings in the now abandoned town. The normal sounds of city life had evacuated it, along with its residents, and the wind creepily whistling through the streets was the only noticeable sound present. Nervously, she picked up her radio in her spare hands and began relaying orders.

"Trainee Detective Hopps, over. Suspect is hiding in South-West area of Little Rodentia. Need backup immedia…"

Her words were cut off with a smash, as Nick shot out from behind a giant tree (or small bush, dependant on perspective) and wrestled away Judy's radio and Taser. Before she could react, he used his momentum to dash the former into the pavement, sending its internal electronics everywhere. The Taser, on the other hand, impacted a building wall. Evidently made of stronger stuff, it smashed through the wall and entered, still in Nick's grasp, the house of an elderly mouse who was quietly reading his newspaper, oblivious to the whole event. As he turned over a page in his paper, Nick's hand, Taser still in paw, began shooting backwards out of the entrance hole it had made, tearing off even more of the houses exterior envelope. Paw and Taser both exited the building, just as the mouse flicked over another page in his newspaper.

"Mildred…" he called out, "We've got that wretched draft again!"

.

Judy and Nick wrestled in the street over the ownership of the Taser, both mammal's paws clasping firmly around it as they desperately tried to wrestle the others off.

"Let go!" Judy screamed angrily, eyes fierce and teeth bared, as she pulled with all his strength.

"Great idea, you first!" Nick replied, in a similar but subdued manner, as he slowly shuffled backwards.

"You're really gonna pay for this! You've really made it worse for yourself Chomper!"

"Long run, it was already as worse as it was going to get Fluff!"

"Don't call me Fluff!"

"Don't call me Chomper!"

"You are Chomper!"

"And you are cute!"

Judy paused for a moment, eyes widening with shock, before they shot into a fierce stare and she screamed, no, she roared! There was the sound of windows smashing and the ground shook as the roar pierced the district, sending hung pictures and crockery in hundreds of homes smashing to the floor, the numerous residents in each building all covering their ears in pain and all racing for the shelter of nearby tables and doorways. Her strength somehow magnified, Judy tore the Taser out of Nick's hands as he fled. Bolting away for life and limb on all fours, Nick saw the Bunny, trembling with righteous anger, take aim and grasp the trigger all while screaming out at the top of her lungs.

"NEVER!"

She fired, Nick quickly pulled his head down, letting the electric dart fly between his ears and over his head.

"CALL!"

Another shot, another near miss as the dart glanced past Nick's side, a whiff of smoke puffing up from a singed strand of errant fur.

"A"

As he turned around a corner and into an industrial area at the district edge, Nick felt the dart fly through his tail fur, barely missing the long thin appendage hidden beneath while leaving a blackened and smoking trail. Glancing around, Nick's heart sank as he saw several officers reach the nearby exit, poles, darts and Taser's all prepped and ready. Here he was, between them and a mad bunny in the middle of a stockyard where, several years ago, his friends had sold used pawpsicle sticks to a lumber company. Oddly enough, that mind numbingly boring and humiliating former life seemed quite appealing now.

"BUNNY!"

Talking of mad bunny's, Judy shot out from around the building and began marching towards him. Weapon and paw shaking with savage fury, she took aim again and fired, the darts grazing Nick's skin and embedding themselves in the rail lines next to Nick. Sparks flew out, arcing from rail to rail and from rail to the ground. Twisting up and around, desperate for some way out, Nick's eyes fell on a second exit tunnel nearby, one that went entirely underground to somewhere far out in the city. An empty freight train, likely heading to the docks, was picking up speed as it entered. His last chance at safety, Nick darted forward, his toes grasping the rails for grip, before he swung himself over and landed face first on the flat beds of the train.

"CUTE!"

He turned, collar going red and giving him a full blown and very painful  **Buzz….**  as Judy took aim. Paws steadied and weapon locked on him, there was no escape. She would fire, he would contort even more and fall off, and then he would be back in jail. The guards would do terrible things to him, certain prisoners far worse, and then he'd have a mock trial and live the rest of his days in a cramped cell at the Zoo. His breathing rapid with terror and eyes wide with fear, just as the red aiming laser hovered between them, Nick flinched as he heard the trigger click. But there was nothing… opening his eyes, he saw Judy try the trigger several times, only eliciting a pathetic couple of sparks out of the end, before throwing the empty device on the ground in frustration. Nick just managed to receive a furious death glare, before his ears were slammed down and began grating on the tunnel roof. Moving into a straight position and hunkering down, Nick released a monumental sigh of relief, as the rapidly speeding train took him on to places unknown.


	17. Chapter 17

_"And I'm oh so tired of running,_

_Gonna lay down on the floor,_

_I gotta rest some time so_

_I can get to run some more."_

**Chapter 17:**

.

As he exited the Tunnel, Nick sharply flinched as the bright sunlight hit his sensitive eyes. The carts he was lying on shook and squealed in protest at his shifting weight, several wheels rising dangerously into the air, before he levelled it all out and carried on regardless.

"Back on Track," Nick joked out loud, relieved at his current situation as he smiled and began looking around. Proud as he was of his escape from flopsy the copsy, the fact of the matter was he was a wanted Con-Fox all dressed up in a prison uniform and on the run. Looking down, he saw the ground beneath him recede, replaced by the thick steel trusses of the main bay bridge which lay ahead. The vast black mass of the road deck spanned above him, curving ahead to the other shore while, beneath him, the cables of the Sky Tram rattled and strained as the cabin went on its long journey back and forth. The thought occurred to him that, in all his times travelling across that tram, he had never once noticed this hidden little rail line, peacefully taking cargo from the docks straight into Little Rodentia by itself. Daring to peak over the narrow precipice, Nick was flushed with a small wave of vertigo as he stared down into the rolling, muddy waters of the west bay far beneath him. White lines of foam, rolled up by the gentle breeze, were peacefully snaking along while errant glints and shimmers of sunlight were reflected up at him every so often.

Glancing forward, the wind stroking back his fur and drying out his eyes, Nick felt a sudden pang in his heart as his gaze fixed onto the hulking warehouse off to his left, his Wild Times. Even from here, through his misting eyes, Nick could see the numerous lines of police tape that surrounded both the warehouse and speedy care, with an assortment of officers and detectives still in the area, carefully studying and notarising his precious gift to this world as if it were a freak, a monstrosity, a shrine to hatred and evil. Deep down, however, Nick knew that this was exactly what each and every Prey animal would see it as, no matter how many times you showed them the beauty that had gone on in there every day. He closed his eyes and sighed, bitter and upset, thoughts of anger coursing through his head at what the Prey had subjected him to all his life, all for the crime of being a Fox.

Never mind the fact that he had spare clothes and money down there, he wanted to see Wild Times, his Wild Times! The creation he had put his heart and soul into and which had created so much joy and happiness, could he not see it just one more time? Was that too much to ask? Not to use or play at any of the attractions but just to see and remember, caress and mourn? To look again at the arcades where high scores were recorded and dating couples had shared their first kisses, letting their passion course through their veins as nature intended. The rides where little pups, kits and kittens had been able to get excited for the first time without fear or worry, screaming and hollering in ways that Prey kids took for granted every minute of every hour. The gift shop, with tacky merchandise themed in Nick's ever charming likeness, where exiting patrons could take home their own little reminder of the fun times. Or the drinks and snack stands, which served the regular assortment of fried or sugary treats that befitted every and any theme park worth its salt. The Howl along, how he missed its soothing serenade (although, the simple fact he would describe it like that would have shocked him three days ago). The Roar-A-Coaster! The screaming and laughter that it produced, how it had dominated the entire place… and the office, with Nick's only family photograph and his giant, comfy chair… and where this entire hellish nightmare had started.

His eyes opened again, red and moist and filled with sadness and regret. Glancing down, Nick spotted that his collar was bright orange, although considering what occurred at Wild Times it at least had a right to be offended. Never the less, Nick didn't have time to reminisce about his lost passion, he had bigger things to worry about which only now were gnawing into his head. Where to find new clothes? Where to go for safety? And, rather more pressingly, what to do now that the train was off the bridge and just turning onto a mainline which had been electrified? Nick looked up nervously as he slipped beneath the catenary wires, each one coursing with who knows how many volts and which could make his Tame collar seem like child's play. Sure, it may be the same voltage as a model train set, couldn't it? But his fur, all across his body, rapidly sticking on end and making Nick look and feel like a ridiculous fuzz ball seemed to suggest otherwise. Terrified of a shock that would make his collar seem like an electric fence, Nick began glancing around, panic slowly rising as he looked for the next phase of his escape plan.

.

The solution, to all these problems, had quite thankfully appeared quite soon after in what must have been the universes way of starting to pay him back for the endless misfortune the last few days had provided. Travelling along the coastal line, Nick breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted a familiar red car with a white wolf nearby, standing discretely next to some bushes at the bottom of the railway embankment. Waiting till the time was right, Nick levered himself off the train car and proceeded to, rather painfully, roll down the hill in a series of crashes and bangs before landing hard in the bushes just as the Wolf was zipping up his fly. Fangmeyer jolted back with a surprise yell, before a quick  **Zip…**  caused him to twitch and yip, in what was an unusually high pitched voice for a big Alpha wolf, before he was interrupted.

"I'll try not to drop in like that in the future…" came a pained, weary, but good humoured groan.

"Nicky Wilde…!" came the amazed reply, as Fangmeyer's mouth opened in a gape and his arms leapt open to embrace an old friend.

"The one and only," Nick chuckled as he shakily got to his feet and smiled back.

"I thought… They… but how?"

"It's called a prison break, sweetheart!"

Fangmeyer tried to form a reply, his mouth hanging open and index finger pointing up, but he paused for a while before devolving into a long chuckle, which grew into a laugh.

"Easy their bud, don't want another red light do we?" Nick half joked and half warned, as the two Canines walked forward and embraced, patting each other heartily on their backs.

"You… You sly, sneaky… even for a…" the Wolf paused for a second, strained in careful thought, before continuing, "mammal of your reputation."

Nick, pulling back slightly and rolling his eyes, brushed away the implied slight and got strait back to business, speaking quickly and sternly. "Listen, all I need is a new change of clothes and a place to bunk while I sort my things out."

Fangmeyer pulled back, frowning as he shook his head, "Mate, even if some of my Girl's stuff fitted you, I couldn't risk myself or them getting put away as well! Every stinking Prey Mammal in this town wants a piece of you, and anyone who helps you… I don't want to think about what they'll do."

"It's fine," Nick reassured the Wolf. "Just bung me in your trunk and take me to my home in the rainforest district."

"I've heard that they're checking cars at random at the tunnel entrances. I can't risk it!"

Nick stepped back, tapping his fingers along his muzzle and shutting his eyes as he mulled over his options, his mind narrowing them down as it steadily honed in on one which he most certainly didn't like. His collar flashed orange as his frown and squint deepened, before he opened them and looked up wearily. Nick was scared, nervous and worried in a way he had never quite been ever before, as he prepared to finally confront something he'd been trying to run away from for years. He would also be asking one of the most infamous mobsters in the city for help too. Finally speaking out, in a tired and almost sad voice, he gave Fangmeyer a simple request. "Just take me to no.3 Hood Avenue, and let me borrow your phone."

"What if they track my call list?"

"Then say you were interested in taking your family out for a meal in Tundra Towns best loved family restaurant, OK?"

"Deal."

.

The car ground to a halt on the cracked tarmac, before a pair of white paws rested themselves down onto the mixture of dust and grass that coated what was once a road surface. Their owner, nervously glancing around as he plodded to the back of the car, opened the boot and let Nick out.

"Seems like a real rough place Nick. Sure you'll be OK?" he asked, as he hurried back to the driver's seat.

"Trust me, I'm good," Nick wearily replied, his orange collar one sign among many that he wasn't.

"Well, for mammallities sake, I hope you're fine. Good luck," Fangmeyer said nervously, as he turned the key and restarted his engine.

"And for mammallities sake, please lay off on the asparagus."

Fangmeyer chuckled before he put his foot down, driving off with a cloud of dust kicked up in his wake, and Nick left alone on the empty street, almost silent were it not for the low rumble of nearby freeway traffic. The wind picked up slightly, sending litter and detritus spinning across the ground and blowing Nick's fur askew as he stood firmly still, trying to keep his mind calm but failing badly. His ears rose as a faint banging was heard, then the screams, then the blare of sirens and then the relentless marching of feet. Giving in to the flood, Nick let his past pour over him and could merely crouch down and grimace as his body re-enacted the motions of his trauma: the standing, the shivering, the desperate stare, the tears, before he was left stranded back in the present once more. He glanced around for a bit, knowing full well that he was still anything but incognito, before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them, as he rested himself down on the red fire extinguisher, he looked up at the sad visage of an old shop. It's windows and door were boarded up with decades old chipboard which had slowly been rotting away in the rain, while graffiti covered both the wood and red brick regardless, turning the once dignified structure into a kaleidoscopic mess. The sign that had once been mounted above the windows had peeled, its title weathered away by the bitter and relentless hate of the elements, with no trace left of what is once was. But, as Nick peeled off a flap of board and walked inside, the neat gold typography on the glass of the front door could still be made out.

'J, Wilde's Formal Wear.'

.

Wandering across the cracked and broken ground floor, past rows of once proud clothing racks and wooden mannequins that had long since fallen down into a senseless mess, Nick fixed his gaze on the small memento's that still survived, giving each one a cursory pained glance before moving on. An old metal till, laying with the tray thrust out and empty while cobwebs cocooned the entire machine in a ghostly shroud. It had once gleamed, its black paint reflecting the light with an energetic shine, while it had rung and clicked with the sound of good business. An ancient calendar hung on a cork board, with a bleached painting of a pretty Vixen whose orange eyes were as warm as a sunset, proudly wearing a rose crown between her ears while nought but a small gold neckless hung around her neck. Beneath her, the black ink marking out the different dates had long since faded, to be replaced with an almost indistinguishable grey. There were still shots of colour here and there as words, written either in a cursive flow or dignified blocks, adorned the white card in reds, greens, blues and even an occasional purple. Odd words stuck out above the rest, showing a snapshot of life as it once was: 'Gas', 'Parents evening', 'delivery', 'Madge's B-Day'. A tie rack, fixed firmly above the counter, still had several dog eaten strips of former fabric hanging from them, all that was left after they had feasted however many moths and insects over the years. Would that be the fate of Nick's tie? The gift that carried all the love and care that Nick's father had given him? All the love and memories to be torn apart and feasted on by vile insects who had no concept of how valuable that unassuming bit of cloth was?

A piece of paper, pinned to the clerk's side of the desk, showed a patchy and badly drawn image of a red Fox in a green outfit, a bow slung over his shoulder and several splaying arrows flying from him towards a red and white target, all travelling in directions that took them away from the bullseye yet, somehow, destined to hit it head on. Nick blinked several times, his eyes misting with the recollection of once happy memories that had been poisoned, turned sour and forever haunting, before leaving them all behind and walking up the creaking wooden stairs.

Upstairs, passing corridors of worn wallpaper, the palm frond patters long since faded, Nick slowly strolled along and felt each and every surface with his paws in a slow and careful manner. Passing by one doorway, leading into an abandoned kitchen in which pots, pans and utensils still lay out, currently rusting and covered in cobwebs and dust, Nick paused and looked at the wooden door frame before chuckling. Looking down for a few seconds, before tilting his head back to the level and turning so his back was against the wall, Nick held out a finger and extended a claw, pushing it across his head and hard into the surface, before slowly etching out a line onto the thick white varnish. Standing in the middle of the doorway again, Nick took his time to alternatively look slightly up or far down, smiling sadly as he did so, before moving on.

The room Nick found himself in was large but relatively austere, dominated by the large double bed and a massive dresser and wardrobe. Wandering over to the latter, Nick heaved open the wooden doors and looked on horrified as rags of fabric, predominantly white or black, but containing a myriad of other colours, rained down on him like ash after a fire. His sudden fear, and orange collar, were allayed however when he saw several suits still preserved from the ravages of time and hungry insects in their cellophane wrapping. Tentatively, Nick picked one out and held it up to himself, before smiling as he undid the zip on his jumpsuit.

.

His claws methodically slipped each button into its respective hole, carefully twiddling it so that it found its correct position and rested there smartly. Straightening the collar, its edges frayed and dog eaten after decades of rotting away in isolation, Nick smiled before resting his paw on the black tie and pulling it tight and even, so that its knot lay neatly in its correct position. Standing back for a few seconds, Nick carefully observed his appearance in the mirror, his smile fading as he nervously tugged at his black sleeves and black trousers. His arms were all too long, wrists awkwardly jutting out a few centimetres or so from the sleeve ends rather than being half covered. As if to compound the matter, they were all too thin as well, the result being that the fabric was baggy and loose fitting in a manner similar to the vile prison suit that now lay crumpled in a corner of the floor. Bringing his right arm up next to his face so he could study it, the large flab of fabric swinging excessively in the air as he did so, Nick ran his left paw pads tentatively along the cloth.

"It's wrong…" he muttered hoarsely, his eyes watering as he did so, "I don't fit…" Nick gave a subdued sob, before flicking his wrist over. He paused, puzzled eyes opening wide in confusion, before he blinked and shook his head as he remembered handing over his watch the night before. Letting his arm fall back down, while sighing at the reminder of all that had been taken from him, he shrugged and walked out of the room.

"What a time to be alive…" he wryly commented, with even his own eyes rolling from the corniness as he said it, although the weak joke did at least steady his nerves somewhat and help him relax. Wandering down the corridor, Nick turned right and paused as he entered a gaudily decorated room, cheap and tacky plastic furniture and a small basket strewn about before him amongst a sea of toys, bags and other stuff. His mouth hanging slightly agape, and collar orange, Nick shook his head to clear away the painful memories and wandered in, pushing through his nervous trepidation as he did so. Settling down on a little chair, his fully grown body dwarfing it, Nick began casually idling through desks and draws, smiling and chuckling as he reacquainted himself with his prematurely aborted childhood. There was an assorted collection of children's books and illustrations, all carefully arranged in a bookshelf and sporting bright colours on their thin binders and happy illustrations on their front. A bag full of mouldy old stuffed toys was on the floor, a simply dressed Fox, Wolf, Tiger and Lion, all with smiles on their muzzles and fluffy plastic fur covering their bodies. The fabric on all of them was tight in places, especially around the necks where strips of fabric had been cut out, with the resultant sides stitched tightly back together with thorough, albeit messy thread. One of the toys, a second red fox with a very basic homemade suit, trousers and tie made of felt, which mostly covered his black and white striped top and trousers, had a tear in his neck where the threads had come loose, stuffing spilling out like blood onto the floor and his muzzle crumpling into itself. Nick picked him up and rested him on his knee, leaning over to open a biscuit tin full of needles, felt and other sewing equipment that was nearby. The thread was all gone, however, and after double checking Nick sadly put both the tin and the toy away in their places and continued to look on.

Opening a draw, Nick was surprised to see himself looking at a dozen or so tatty crayon drawings, the first showing the outline of a large, dark red fox and a smaller, lighter red fox both dressed in black suits and red ties with collars around their necks, black smiley faces hidden within each green light. Chuckling slightly and slowly shaking his head at his long vanished naivety, Nick flipped over the paper and his mood darkened with what he saw. He nodded slowly with agreement as he looked at a picture of a collar with its red light drawn as an evil eye, menacing and cruel, while fangs stuck out hungrily from beneath the control unit, ready to cause pain. Sharp blue and yellow spikes and thunderbolts struck in from the collars inside, almost trying to claw at the victim's neck that should be there.

Glancing at the next sheet of paper, Nick recoiled slightly in shock, his eyes and mouth gaping open and trembling while his ears shot back and collar turned to orange. Drawn in crude crayon was an island, covered in small huts and cartoon trees while fishing boats sailed around it. There were three red and white figures, smiling and waving, with another set of similar (but smaller and yellow) figures to their side. Dotted about, you could also see black and white figures, yellow spotted ones, white and grey, orange and black… All were smiling and happy, waving at Nick while a crudely drawn title hung over the whole scene, 'No Collar Island.'

Nick sadly looked away, crumbling up the paper sheet and tossing it to the floor before hardening his gaze. The painful memories of the last time he was in this room flooded back, the sounds echoing through his mind. His father had made him promise to never stop dreaming and to make him proud, but all he'd done was pursue a poisoned dream and line himself up for the same fate. 'Why bother?' he pondered, as the gaping tear of depression and hopelessness cut through him once more. Closing his eyes and tilting his head up, Nick tried to take several deep breaths but none of them could subdue his hollowness and grief, nor turn his orange collar back down to green. The loud footsteps marching up the stairs, however, could. Shaking him out of the past and back to the present, Nick straightened his tie as he stood up, before spinning around the doorway and jumping out into the corridor.

"Raymond, am I…" he began cheerfully, before he paused, confused for a few seconds as he nervously glanced around, until he lowered his gaze and fixed his eyes on an equally confused Judy. They exchanged glances at each other, both looking on perplexed for a few moments, before Nick's collar shot to orange. He darted to the side in abject terror, leaping into his room and narrowly missing a flying kick from a newly incised Judy who sailed past him. Landing in a roll, Nick panicked and scurried on his back into a corner, nervously chuckling as Judy charged back in door frame, before pulling up her sleeves and marching in with a determined look on her face.

"Carrots…" Nick said in a quivering voice as he began smiling, nervously trying to charm but merely making Judy scowl further, fury burning in her eyes. Shaking with terror, Nick grabbed the little plastic chair he'd been sitting on and held it out in from of him for defence.

"Judy…" he tried again, getting no response, "Judy, hey Jude… Jude the Dude?"

This time Judy did pause, but turned and spat, looking even more menacing as she marched onwards. "The only mammals who call me that," she began, the words seething from her mouth, "are my Dad… or those who are about to get really, really hurt."

"Well, Daughter, I think I told you many times that violence solves nothing…" Nick desperately spurted out, before his collar gave out a little beep.  **Zap…**  Nick flinched and yelped as Judy tore forwards and yank the chair out of Nick's hands, leaving him cowering and vulnerable.

"You're right," she casually replied, as she grabbed a pair of handcuffs and twirled them around playfully in her fingers. "I only came here to gather some evidence… seeing as capturing you is the only way to restore my reputation. One that I had to work for years to build up, and which you chose to tear down in one day… But, seeing as you're so kindly here, I'll take you in anyway and all's good."

She smiled, proud and smug, as one cuff went around her hand, and the other was held out in the open. "I'm too good a Cop to mistreat prisoners," she said, her voice softening into a calm, comforting tone as she tried to reassure Nick, before she flinched away slightly and sighed, and then continuing in a sad tone laced with futility, "but after what you did today… I'm very sad to say that I'm not sure I can vouch for some of my colleagues."

She slammed the cuffs around one of Nick's paws, locking herself and her prisoner together. The latter merely stayed silent, mouth trembling as he began to rise, abjectly defeated. But as he looked up, his depressed look slowly morphed into a smile as he fixed his gaze past Judy and smirked as he did so, even chuckling slightly.

"I don't know what you're finding so funny mister," Judy said, confused by his sudden change in mood, "but you're coming with me…"

Judy turned around, but immediately slammed herself to the back wall in terror. In front of both of them was the hulking mass of a polar bear, his massive body barely fitting into the relatively small room. His two paws extended from his squatting body, sharp claws wiggling menacingly as they came closer to the two mammals he dwarfed.

"Hi Raymond," Nick casually shot out, before turning to Judy. "Correction fluff," he began mockingly, "it seems like you're coming with me!"


	18. Chapter 18

_"You can checkout anytime you like,_

_But you can never leave."_

**Chapter 18:**

.

The inside of the chilled Limo, travelling discretely through the Canyonlands and towards the border of Tundra town, was cold and frosty, its refrigeration units working full tilt to keep the temperature at a level that suited its usual inhabitants. Nick and Judy, sitting quietly between two hulking polar bear guards, were most definitely not the usual inhabitants. They sat quietly, the former slouching contently back into his seat with a giant grin plastered on his face and two free paws, whose fingers knitted together behind his head, while he slowly mouthed the lyrics to free as the wind. Judy, on the other hand, sat hunched down, all too aware of the menacing gaze of her captors, and was scribbling note after note into a flip pad. Concentrating hard on her task at hand, she stayed silent as they passed by a checkpoint and plunged into the black tunnel through the climate wall, helping to make the mood even colder and frostier that the car itself.

"What'cha writing Fluff?" Nick casually asked, nosily peering over while he aimlessly twiddled his fingers. He was expecting Judy to try and hide her notes, but she stayed firm as her paws finished their frantic writing.

"We all know the stories Slick," Judy muttered out, more resigned than angry, before she flipped the little pad down and thrust it into Nick's lap. His paws went down from the back of his head to hold the notes and inspect them, but he was distracted Judy sniffed slightly, a tear running down her eye as she fished into her pocket and grabbed her wallet. The pouch was bursting with photographs, leaving little to no space left for actual money, and Judy grabbed several before beginning to flick through. Her face quivered with sorrow, her ears drooped as tears began flowing down from her red eyes, yet she wore a faint smile on her mouth which grew with each photograph. Nick was at first curious, almost confused at Judy's reaction, but as he peeked at the photographs his facial features dropped with sadness. Each picture showed a group of Bunny's, sometimes two or three, sometimes tens or even hundreds. Tiny kits and aged grandpa's, proud parents holding newly born babies, rabbits graduating school or at weddings. Glancing left and right for reassurance, Nick let the pang of guilt and empathy that had struck him carry him over. As he slowly began to lean above her, his paw outstretched and slowly lowering down to Judy, ready to try and console and comfort her. Awkwardly, he let it touch her shoulder, before she pulled in a massive sniff. His arm shooting back to its place in milliseconds, while he shuffled as far away as possible, Nick watched Judy file away her photographs and compose herself, her usual expression of grit determination returning to her face as she turned to look at Nick.

"My…"

"Parents address is included. If I don't make it, send them my letter," Nick interrupted, his voice attempting to be emotionless, but the depressed tone and long pauses he took after each clause betraying the worry seeping through him. He hadn't looked at the notepad yet, but he could see that Judy had just written a set of last words to her parents. The bunny looked on into his eyes, her own opening from surprise at his assumption, before she glanced away, sullenly nodding her conformation as she did so. Glancing again, from side to side in a mix of caution, worry and embarrassment, Nick shuffled over and carefully rested his paw back down on Judy's shoulder. Touching her, she flinched sharply, causing Nick to pull his hand back and let it hover a few centimetres over her. He then lowered it down again, his tense expression and nerves releasing themselves as Judy failed to react. A smile growing on his muzzle, he let his paw slip down to the side of her chest and he pulled her into a hug against the side of his, her small body snuggling into his large one. Judy didn't react much to it, still sitting down facing forwards, but Nick did feel a tiny snuggle by his side as the Bunny at least tolerated his affection. The air was silent, bar the sound of the Limo travelling on and the occasional cough from one of the polar bear guards.

"It'll be fine," Nick said comfortingly, never the less shattering the thin silence and drawing Judy's attention. As her head turned around to look at him, large amethyst eyes looking on while her nose slowly twitched, he cocked at smile and continued.

"I can give you a good word with Kozlov. I have other places I can stay safe so I can leave after I've met him. That means I can ask him to leave you too. You can go back to your family, all of them… eventually." Nick looked on curiously, silent for a few seconds as he thought, before he spoke again out of curiosity. "How many members are there in your family?"

"275…" Judy began slowly, before Nick interrupted her.

"Wow!" he exclaimed with genuine surprise, his collar orange from the amazement of how that was even possible. His mind swam with all the issues that would come with such a large family, hypothesising how it could even work together cohesively without devolving into some kind of dystopian anarchy. Every other day would be a birthday party, likely for several members at one time, did they not celebrate or did each day have a special slot left open for such events? Then there was cleaning the house they lived in, cooking all the food, deciding where to go on holiday… Heck, Nick would often claim to know everyone in the city but he only knew about one hundred people very well. 275 in your own family must be mind boggling, he was amazed that Judy's brain didn't fry remembering everything.

"275… man," he continued, whistling as if to emphasis the point, "I mean, I come from a lowly old three… just me, Ma and Pa…"

Judy chuckled slightly, elbowing Nick playfully in the stomach. Grunting, he looked back at her, smile growing on her mouth, and smiled back.

"After you interrupted," Judy began to tease, "I was going to add 'Brothers and Sisters'."

Nick's eyes widened with shock. He coughed slightly, before another cough, hearty and from the pit of his stomach shot out. Even his collar couldn't comprehend it, beeping up to orange again (and rudely ruining the mood while at it) as a third and final cough came out of Nick. Judy was chuckling as he banged his fist hard against his chest, clearing away any remaining mucus and gunk, before he turned back with a giant grin widening on his face.

"Sweet cheese and crackers fluff… how, I mean… How can you cope?"

Judy turned away smiling, before brushing off the question like you would with faint praise, "Oh… It's just a Bunny thing."

"Well," Nick warmly began, "You may not know it but Kozlov is a family man… this should give you even more sympathy."

Judy huffed slightly, shrugging, before turning around, "I don't need sympathy."

"What?" Nick exclaimed, perplexed.

"Nick," she began as she looked up at Nick with a cold, serious expression, "I swore a duty to uphold the law. That means capturing evidence of Kozlov's crimes and, ideally, arresting him or calling in backup to arrest him. Either those notes will be sent to my parents, or you and Kozlov will be behind bars. I don't aim to weasel or beg my way out of this… I aim to fight."

Nick sighed, he didn't want this poor little Bunny to be disposed of, but it seemed that she was too proud and foolish for her own good. Turning away and closing his eyes, he tried to tell himself that he shouldn't care. That this bunny's death would be her own demise. She had it coming and there wasn't anything he could do to help. She was a prey mammal! A policeman! A Bunny! A bigoted Fox hater! Just one of these should have been enough but whatever he did, however much he tried to focus on the hate he had for Prey and the law, however much he rewound the insults and condescension she had given him… a little voice gently talked above them all, reminding him of the stories he'd heard about the mammal who'd captured them.

This little Bunny didn't deserve to die like this.

.

The limo slowly drove through the Icy square, the freshly laid snow beneath its tires cracking and scrunching under the wheels as it drove past the giant icy edifice that was Kozlov's family restaurant. Slipping to the right however, and it gently pulled into a dim alley and came to a halt. The door opening with a clunk, two small figures were escorted into a backdoor via two hulking polar bear guards, their green collars shining out through the thick flurry of snow falling around them. Standing in a dark antechamber, they waited as an inner door was slid open, revealing the black silhouette of a giant bear looming above them all, outlined against the midnight blue backdrop. The only light available was the floating green pinpricks from four tame collars, until the one around the giant bear changed to orange, shortly followed in suit by Nick's.

"I loaned you a lot of Money, Nikolay," Kozlov said, his deep and menacing voice almost growling the words out, each on quiet but loaded with an enormous amount of anger.

"Yes… Yes, you did," Nick nervously replied, frantically shooting out his words quickly and cheerfully in an attempt to please, "and I paid back what I could very, very quickly. In fact, I have plenty more money buried out in Sahara square…! I can pay you back the entire loan twice over… three times over! That sound good?" Shooting out the final question, Nick plastered a quivering smile onto his face and held out his hand ready for a handshake. He was, of course, terrified. Although he had never been on Kozlov's bad side, although from experience his normal side wasn't a whole bunch of love and fun in and of itself, the stories of what happened to people who wronged him were long and detailed, and none had happy endings. Judy had asked Nick many times if he had heard the stories, he most definitely had. And now, his surprised mind now panicking itself as it carefully flicked through and cross-referenced each one to create his new worst fate, Nick was utterly petrified.

There was a grunt, Kozlov's collar turning down to green, before his hulking mass shifted downwards. A giant white paw, painted orange by the light, extended out and gently took hold of Nick's own, before shaking it. Nick still had his giant fake smile, but as relief washed over him it stopped quivering. The giant paw, now painted green, retreating and Kozlov spoke up in a polite and almost caring voice.

"It is good to see you again. I saw the news from yesterday of course… I did not want to believe… It could not be true! Is the Times really gone? I try and say it is lie… but my little monitors had real story from site. I do not mistreat fellow Preds who are victims of misfortune and…" He paused, his gaze shifting to a poker facing Judy, "Prey conspiracy." Kozlov huffed slightly, brushing Judy away with his paw as he rose up and turned, his ears drooping as his voice became almost melancholic. "I must apologies though. Timing of incident was very unfortunate, yes… follow me."

.

Kozlov's study, like most of the building, was sculpted out of Ice. Each wall and ceiling was an intricate mix of divots and ridges, many of which had been finely sculpted into intricate patterns or fine shelves. While the lighting painted the entire place and warm orange-red, like the hot embers of a fire, the cold blue of the Ice could still be made out in small cracks and lurking in the background. Held back, but still waiting for the time when it could pounce forwards and reclaim its dominion, it added a metaphoric chill to the entire structure alongside the literal one already present. Even the furniture, from desk to chairs, was ice; including the sofa that Nick and Judy sat on, in front of a large black TV screen.

"It seems crazy, so very crazy that I think I drink too much vodka. You are very newsworthy individual, Nikolay…" Kozlov began, idly opening a large decanter and pouring some brandy or whisky into a set of glasses. "Hero even! At very least, you make ZNN a lot." He nodded, and one of his underlings held out a remote and switched the TV on. Almost immediately, the jet black screen was replaced by flashes of colour and light. Sound effects blared out, trumpets shooting off with each pow, wham and kazapp, as a cartoon bat sucker punched a cartoon penguin.

"Sorry," Kozlov chuckled in the background, "I forgot… Morris was in here earlier…" He turned to look at his underling, who quickly nodded and pressed a button on the remote. The channel flipped over, and Nick's unflattering mugshot was shown plastered on the screen, while the newsreader talked on above.

"We go back to Today's main story. A prisoner, Nicholas P Wilde, escaped from ZPD detention earlier today and is currently on the run, whereabouts unknown. Already facing a potential life sentence for reckless endangerment of mammal life and gross professional misconduct, his rap sheet was vastly increased today after a highly destructive chase through Little Rodentia."

The camera switched, showing a phone recording made of Nick stumbling along the road back in miniature city. Towering above the photographer, whose camera shook violently each time his foot landed, Nick careered onwards before tripping and smashing down onto the toilet roll house. Back in the study, Nick looked on at the recording with concern, holding his tail gently and visibly wincing as he saw the Jerks race over him, before stroking it carefully with his paw.

"As you can see here, this was a highly destructive case and we are lucky that this savage didn't kill anyone. However, property damage is intense with at least one poor resident losing their home."

The camera flipped over, now showing an irate mouse in front of the crumpled ruins of the cardboard house. Visibly exasperated, he bellowed on remorselessly about his experience, his arms waving about above his head. "Just sitting in my own room in my own house minding my own business. Next thing I know everything shakes and is going crazy and my house is collapsing. I rush out just in time before that Fox decides to finish the job and, well, look!" The mouse gestured backwards at the ruin of his house, moving his hands up and down as if to emphasise the point. At that point, the news switched to a helicopter view of Nick riding along the top of the train while the newsreader continued on.

"Both the ZPD and the Mayor's office have promised to use all means necessary to capture this miscreant, and advise all citizens to use the helpline provided to contact the authorities if they have any information which can help lead to his arrest. This will be of little help to the residents of Little Rodentia, however, who had only just finished rebuilding after the great stray football incident of last Tuesday…"

The TV went off with a buzz, quickly turning to black as a polar bear marched over and grabbed Judy by the back of her shirt collar. She shouted in protest, and then began frantically kicking and screaming as she was carried off at arm's length. The polar bear was certainly surprised, Judy was fighting back hard and punching up into his fist, trying to get him to loosen his grip. Given a few seconds more, she would have likely slipped out and gone on a rampage, but her captor was having enough and merely wrapped his other paw tight around her, enveloping her body like a straightjacket. Nick got up, concerned and worried, and held out his hand as he prepared to speak only to be distracted by another polar bear marching in with a giant silver platter on his paws. Nick let it hold his gaze for a few seconds before turning back to Judy, only to find she was gone, a door swinging shut the only evidence that she'd been near. Hoping to at least give her a few words of good favour, Nick turned to face Kozlov again and speak, only to be overruled as he spoke up.

"Nikolay!" Kozlov barked, catching the Fox's attention, before the Bear's mood returned to a soft and caring tone, "Come, you must be hungry. Eat with me."

.

Nick did eat, very well in fact. It was surprising how hungry being a wanted fugitive on the run made you and Nick was consequently very happy to fill up on the stacks of smoked fish and fish cakes that Kozlov provided. Finishing off a salmon one now, the delicate pink flakes of meat and potato melting apart in his mouth, Nick relaxed as Kozlov cleared his plate, staring intently at him.

"So, you are now guest under my roof, yes. Maybe forever?" he said, his voice soft and enquiring as he gently opened his right paw out invitingly.

Nick, swallowing his food and looking on, smiled as he replied, "Well, not exactly, I need to get out there and prove my innocence."

Kozlov grunted slight, his eyes rising and he stared on silently for a moment or too. Nick, tilting his head to one side with confusion while his ears flopped about above him, looked on and then recoiled in shock as Kozlov burst out laughing. The deafening laughs, each one roared up from the heart of his belly, carried on and on as Kozlov hunched over and began banging the table hard with his fist. Each hit sent cutlery and crockery on the table jumping up and down violently, until they were silenced by a soft  **Zap.**  Kozlov's mood soured immediately, he rose up with a stoic and emotionless mask on his face before he continued speaking, his regular intimidating voice returning, "You wish to try and kill me Nikolay?"

Nick's eyes widened and his ears shot back with the accusation. As he pulled back slightly, mind imagining each terrible way he could insult the giant bear while his mouth stammered out a steam of nonsensical words before finally uttering out a coherent one, "Erm, No… No! What makes you even think that… Mr… Sir!"

Kozlov merely shrugged and sat back a bit, letting himself recline into his chair as he grabbed a toothpick and began cleaning his giant teeth. "Shame… shame," he muttered, garnering a very confused head tilt from Nick, before he carried on, "I was hoping you would enjoy my joke, as much as I enjoyed yours. It gets very depressing; all my jokes seem to only scare as if person is in mortal peril. And I thought that one was good, Da…? Shame, I think I leave humour to you."

Nick smiled slightly, his fingers nervously tapping into each other, as he spoke up in a heavily drawn out voice, "Well… you see Mr Kozlov…. I wasn't… joking. I need to prove me innocence…"

Kozlov's mood immediately soured, his eyes squinting as he menacingly leant over Nick, intimidating him enough to send his collar orange. "What are you? Raving lunatic? Moron? You surely cannot expect to prove yourself innocent for crime, no? Particularly one they actually have you on the books for!"

"I was framed Kozlov," Nick explained, hoping that his response would mollify the looming mob boss. Amazingly, it worked and the bears eyes shot open as he pulled back.

"Scottish Wolf, yes?" he asked innocently enough.

"So wait, you've dealt with Lupus Savage too?" Nick exclaimed, awash with not only relief but hope. He was curious about what dealings Kozlov had with Lupus and how it would help him, but he actually had an ally now!

"No…" the bear shrugged, before continuing on in a quiet, almost worried, tone, "but my guard see Scottish Wolf called Frasier Maim near important business associate, just before he go savage. I think nothing of it bar it was unfortunate, until guard's report seeing similar Scottish Wolf around just before my oldest friend and… best man goes." Kozlov paused after he finished speaking, going quiet as he sadly mulled over some memory, his face dropping and his collar briefly beeping orange.

Nick looked on sadly, knowing that the mob boss had likely lost someone dear to him, but then smiled and launched himself into a pitch, "He has a dart gun, he shoots mammals with it and they temporarily go savage. You and I, we can expose this and free the mammals in the prison. Heck, we might even help the collar abolitionists!" Nick looked on, arms wide open inviting Kozlov into his partnership, but he felt a wave of resignation wash over him as the bears stare stayed fixed at some point behind him. Kozlov wasn't stoic or emotionless anymore, there was actually a twinge of something in his eyes. Sympathy? Concern? Sadness? Whatever it was, he shook it off as he rolled his eyes and continued as if it had never happened.

"Nikolay, remember what I tell you about Zootopia. It not like to be changed… Why do you think our Wolf friend go after my friends but not me? He doesn't want me too strong… but he fears what happens if I go, what if replacement is worse, you know?"

Nick nodded politely as Kozlov carried on, his tone unchanging but his collar flicking back up to orange. "It is the Prey. Mayor probably, she want to be seen taking down big-bad Predators. She not want Preds to get too powerful or question collar too loud. So she hires wolf to do her work. Zootopia does not like change Nikolay, do not think yourself able to change that."

There was a beep, Nick's collar going orange too as he became angrier. "So that's it then?" he queried, "I stay as a criminal and fugitive forever?"

Kozlov stayed quiet, before giving a slight snort and looking down. His words were almost sad, but he spoke them out anyway. "We live as rotten apples, yes… But who cares when we live in compost heap."

As a server carried out Nick's plate, the air was quiet for a moment as Kozlov gently wiped the crumbs away from his mouth with a napkin. The server then came back and knelt down next to the mob boss, gentling taking his desert order of vanilla Ice-cream. Turning towards Nick, the fox pondered for a few seconds before speaking up.

"Do you have any blueberry?" he innocently asked, a question to which the server had no straight answer.

"I think I saw one tub in freezer seven when we took the bunny in," he replied after a few seconds, before wandering off to check.

Nick turned back to face Kozlov, but a sudden wave of guilt washed over him as he remembered the conversation he and the bunny had earlier in the day. Coughing slightly, in order to get the bears attention, he gently brought up the subject.

"About our Bunny… Judy Hopps… bit troublesome," he slowly began, drawing out each word in an awkward and endearing fashion.

Kozlov turned to face Nick and quickly replied. "Soon to be Hoppsicle."

Nick pulled back slightly, before chuckling slightly and then more so, the half-real half-fake laugh straining out of his mouth as he rolled his head and eyes around slowly before returning them to face forwards. "Now… now that was a good one," Nick finally complemented as he pulled all his focus back onto the very confused bear.

"That… was Joke? Maybe I employ you as comedy-mammal? I do not understand this humour stuff" he said, slowly and sincerely.

Nick's fake laughter immediately stopped as he looked up at the bear, scratching the back of his neck and even beginning to fidget with his new tie. "You… you actually plan to kill her?"

"You do not? Surely… no? Nicholas Wilde, you can't feel sorry for Bunny?" Kozlov replied, very confused.

"No… no. I don't think… she deserves that…"

"WHY?" the bear almost shouted as his collar went up to orange, suddenly angry at Nick.

The Fox flinched back, before slowly uncoiling himself and looking forward. "I… I don't know why exactly… I just, my gut tells me it's wrong. Despite all the bother she's caused me, I mean I may not like her, but I don't think she should die just yet in such a way… She's still young, she's got a huge family who loves her. She was just doing her duty…"

The Bear groaned and looked away, almost exasperated at what he had heard, before talking back to Nick angrily, his voice getting louder and louder as he continued. "Not today! Not today of all days does dumb bunny get Kozlov's sympathy! Nothing can change that. Not Today!"

Nick paused for a moment, carefully considering his first move, before politely speaking. "She has 275 sweet siblings who love her," he gently pointed out.

The Bear slammed his paws on the table and dove his head forward towards Nick. The fox, eyes wide, ears back and collar orange with terror, shook as Kozlov's nose almost touched his. The Bear lifted his right hand and extended a finger, the claw on the end manicured, sharpened and polished into a glistening instrument, before he menacingly jabbed Nick in the chest with each furious word he spoke. "No… Sympathy… For… Troublesome… Prey… Cop… Not… Today…!"

Nick, having flinched back from the repeated jabbing's, nodded frantically as he desperately attempted to appease Kozlov. It seemed to work, as the bear settled into his chair and, looking down at the floor to his side, muttered a spiteful order.

"Leave me alone for five minutes… no less. Go to your room, number twelve, and maybe get new clothes… go to toilet… go to somewhere… I need time alone… Come back whenever."

Nick smiled politely and nodded in agreement, desperately relieved at the de-escalation of the situation, before he left his seat and wandered off. Truth be told, he didn't mind looking at the new clothes, he needed the toilet, he also needed to do something ludicrously, ludicrously stupid.


	19. Chapter 19

_"We can be heroes, just for one day."_

**Chapter 19:**

.

There was a loud flush, and the door in the side of the corridor opened with Nick slipping discretely out. Strolling along, butterflies were fluttering in his stomach as he nervously walked deeper into the bowls of Kozlov's winter palace, home of family fun one day and criminal dealings the next. His attire was still pretty much the same as it had been before, bar the addition of a large bearskin style hat that awkwardly rested over his head and between his ears, its synthetic dark green fur contrasting sharply with his natural russet red fur. His breathing getting increasingly deep and rapid the closer he got to the sound and clatter of the kitchens, Nick gulped nervously as he looked around for any underlings who might be following him. He kept asking himself,  _why am I doing this?_  W _hy am I saving her_?  _What will Kozlov do to me if he finds out?_  Yet, despite his continuous misgivings he somehow knew that he couldn't leave her to her fate. She didn't deserve it, despite all the pain and trouble she had caused him.

.

Sneaking carefully past the bustling kitchen, its many chefs meticulously and industriously preparing a vast assortment of random foodstuffs, Nick slipped through a heavy door at the back and into the chill of the walk in freezer. While the sub-zero cold of Kozlov's study had been bearable, the temperature in here could literally redefine the word frigid. His teeth clattering slightly, as vast clouds of condensation billowed from his nose, he sniffed and scanned around carefully. The combination of the deep cold and the vast mix of different foodstuffs certainly stifled Nick's acute sense of smell but, after a quick sniff around, his eyes perked open and body went stiff as he caught Judy's scent. Wandering carefully over, Nick began neatly unstacking a pile of ice cream tubs, eventually revealing a small cage with a bunny locked inside, curled up against herself tightly in order to conserve her heat. Her ears slowly unfurled themselves from the back of her head as she unfolded herself and looked up at Nick.

"What… what are you doing here?" she whispered quietly, her confused eyes scanning Nick as if to make sure that this wasn't some cruel mind trick (after all, she knew the stories).

"It's called a rescue, sweetheart," Nick gently replied, as he withdrew a screwdriver from a pocket and began to pick the large padlock that held Judy in. After several clicks and twists, the padlock clicked open and fell to the hard floor. Judy tentatively stepped up and opened the gate to her cage before walking out, her ears attentively scanning all around. Bending down, Nick removed his hat and gestured to the top of his head, inviting Judy to get up there. She looked at him with slanted eyes for a few seconds, until they widened with the realisation of his plan. Smiling and nodding, Judy stepped back a bit before racing forward and leaping, hopping straight onto Nick's head and landing hard on top. After wincing a bit from the pain of the impact, Nick grabbed his hat and stuck it back on his head, covering Judy up completely. He then closed up the cage once more and began carefully piling the tubs of food around it. Judy, meanwhile, curiously peered out from under the brim of the hat and looked on intently, a happy grin growing across her face.

"Come on, you can say you're impressed," Nick said casually as he swooned with his paw, his eyes peering up so that they just about caught Judy in his line of sight.

"Well, not really," Judy admitted, shrugging slightly as Nick rearranged the last tubs of Ice cream into a pile, almost indistinguishable from how it had been before and completely obscuring the empty cage.

"Come on, Fluff," Nick teased casually as he stood up, before closing his eyes and wiggling as he smugly boasted, "a lesser mammal would try and cut the cage open and leave a vast trail of destruction… I'm in and out and you don't know what hit you!"

Judy merely groaned and shook her head, before condescendingly chiding Nick's ego, "So, it's just you being Foxy. It would be like me boasting how I can jump high."

Nick's smug grin fading, his face scowling and collar beeping up with his annoyance. An angry frown on his muzzle and eyes disappointedly half lidded, he bitterly asked himself once more why he was doing this, before he chose to speak up instead. "Or how you Bunnies pop out babies."

Judy immediately growled and jumped, her and the hat both leaping upwards while Nicks flinching face was pushed down hard. Before he could recover, she smashed down on his scalp, jerking his head painfully down as she landed. Her splaying paws gripping tightly onto Nick's scalp to cancel out her momentum, Judy came to a rest before resuming her position on his crown, leaning forward so that her ears could stare into his own. "How dare you say that!" Judy furiously whispered, her nose twitching with rage.

"How dare you call what I did Foxy!" Nick whispered back in the same tone, before he loudly inhaled and exhaled, right paw hovering over his collar as a precaution.

Judy paused slightly, before shaking her head and staring back down. "Well, how do you know how to undo locks then?" she asked accusingly.

Shrugging, Nick looked up and casually replied, "One summer me and my best friend lost the keys to our bike locks. We had plenty of time and little money so we taught ourselves, OK?"

"Oh."

Nick rolled his eyes as he stood up, before scolding Judy, "You could say sorry you know. Seeing as I'm the one risking my own life and throwing away an ally and a safe house just so save your dumb bunny butt."

Judy chuckled slightly, confusing Nick, as she looked down from underneath the hat rim, "I could last like that for days, I don't need your help."

Nick scowled, grabbing the hat with his paw and pulling it over Judy to hide her. "One more insult… One more gloat," he threateningly warned, "and I'll be putting you back in that cage. Understand?"

"Yup," came the muffled reply, as Nick quietly slipped out of the freezer and passed out of the kitchen.

.

Strolling down the corridors, nervously glancing left to right with each step, Nick felt as if a cry of alarm would come up any minute. His collar flicking orange as his nerves began to get the better of him, he tried to calm down by stroking his tie. Running his right hand paw pads down the fabric, he soon resorted to full blown fiddling with it as he tried to get even a modicum of the comfort he got from his old tie from it. Closing his eyes, and huffing with frustration, he tossed the fabric away and let it swing back and forth idly in front of him. There was a twitch, Nick's eyes squinting with confusion as he registered that something was off, before he suddenly realised that his hat was no longer touching his head. Pausing to look up, he realised that Judy's feet could be seen planted on his scalp. Resting his paw on the top of the hat, he pressed down to close the tell-tale gap.

"Keep those ears down," he whispered nervously, before looking around for reassurance again and carrying on. "We get out, I dump you somewhere and then I hide and you go back to your gazillion relatives and your police stuff. Got it."

Nick winced painfully as he felt one of his hairs torn from his scalp, before looking up at his hat. "Got it," came the quiet reply. Nick would have carried on moving, only for him to suddenly be distracted by a loud flush.

The door to his right opened, and Kozlov stepped out. His eyes widening and collar glowing orange, he smiled before cheerfully gathering Nick up in his arms. "Nikolay! Nikolay!" he merrily shouted, before walking on with Nick in tow, "Come, let us discuss vital business."

.

Standing back in the study, Nick looked on nervously at Kozlov's bizarre behaviour, completely at odds to his usual reputation. The giant bear was almost excitable, joking here and there, as he scoffed down his vanilla Icecream before picking up the small wafer rod, flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg with a coating of chocolate at one end. While Nick looked on, his three scoops hardly touched, the bear slid the wafer into his mouth and munched it like a Lemming would do to a piece of celery. Each rapid but tiny bite loudly took off another sliver of the biscuit, Kozlov then pushing it in slightly further for the process to repeat, until it was all gone. There was a pause, as a small otter waiter strolled in with a silver tray. Opening it up, he revealed another wafer which Kozlov gently picked up and studied curiously, before idly waving the waiter away. Holding his treat upright between his thumb and index finger, he waved it in front of Nick before speaking.

"All good things must come to an end," he casually observed, before shrugging and smiling, "but we can still start again, yes?"

Kozlov proceeded to nibble at the wafer in much the same manner as before, his jaw and neck twitching with each minute bite. Nick looked on confused, his head beginning to tilt slightly. There was a quiet knock on the top of his head, jolting his eyes open in surprise before he registered that his hat was beginning to slide off. Readjusting it as he stood upright again, Nick continued to observe Kozlov, who had now picked up a third wafer from yet another waiter and was now eating it in the same manner. Resting his head on his paw, so as to halt his already re-tilting head from going any further, Nick's eyes suddenly began widening while his ears fearfully shot back. Looking on, Nick saw Kozlov's collar quivering and vibrating with the movement of the neck beneath it. Jumping up and down, here and there, Nick could see black spots of charred fur in the sea of white. The spots, located in line with the collar control unit, released small clouds of dust, ash, smoke and charred fur each time the control box vibrated over the spot. Nick held his head down and breathed deeply in, his hand reassuringly rubbing around his shock zone as he tried to swallow down his feelings of sorrow and empathy. Part of the wound must be due to the larger energy required for large animal shocks, but even then it must have taken something horrifically intense to cause the discharge required for such damage.

There were only two occasions where Nick had seen collar burn marks before, outside of dramatic villain shots in innumerable bad action movies. The most recent one had been several years ago when a deaf and rather thick Hippo had assumed that Finnick was a Kit that had escaped from day-care. As if the humiliation of a grown mammal being marched across the busy town and through packed streets, all while being cooed over and lectured in baby talk about the importance of education wasn't enough, he'd been hauled by the scruff throughout. Even the thought of being carried by the scruff in public, comprehensively humiliated and unable to fight or talk back, made Nick shudder to the bones. But having it done for several hours by someone several years younger than you, all the while being treated like a naughty baby… Apparently, after spending a couple of hours visiting prey run day-cares, the hippo by chance found a small Pred one. The Lioness in charge immediately lied saying that the comatose Fennec, his limbs still twitching sharply every seconds or so, was one of hers before she took him in in order to apply first aid. When Nick finally got around and picked Finnick up the poor sod was still asleep from exhaustion, and the acrid smell of burnt fur hung around him with even more potency than his usual musk. It was still an unspoken rule of his group that you never, ever, ever, under any circumstances brought this event up. The other time Nick had seen collar burn marks were on his father, on the train after the Suitopia pitch, when he had gone up to his still wincing neck and tried to kiss it better.

"So, we start again, yes?"

Nick jolted up at Kozlov's question, fiddling around and muttering out 'um's' and 'ah's' until Kozlov once more took over the conversation with a laugh.

"Wilde Times Nikolay," the Polar Bear said ecstatically, his arms outstretched invitingly and a warm smile on his face.

"Wait what, you want me to… open Wild Times 2?" Nick cautiously asked, before Kozlov loudly cut him off.

"Yes! Yes! Full secret this time, I back it and you run. You prove business model so I owe you that much. Your friends: Fat cat, bonkers badger and concentrated entity of pure devastation… They all come and help run, design new rides. It like old times!"

Nick was silent for a few second, mouth puckered up in thought, before he curiously replied, "but how can we do it?"

"We steal collar keys and set up Wild Times 2 in place no-one will look."

"Is there still a place like that?" Nick curiously asked.

"Yes! Small cave below us. Part of system that is used for nocturnal district!"

Running his fingers along his muzzle, Nick smiled and looked away. "You see… Kozlov… I don't think the city planners would not know about a giant cave that you do know about."

Kozlov chuckled slightly, before waggling his finger slightly and gently lecturing Nick, "Of course they know about cave. But it is abandoned and they will never look!"

"Why is that?"

"It is adjacent to power plant cave; they used to use it to vitrify spent nuclear fuel rod."

Nick's eyes opened in surprise and he began coughing violently in shock at what he had just heard. His hat, shaking erratically on top of his head, seemed to cough as well. After recovering, and looking up perplexed at the still enthusiastic Kozlov, he spoke up, chuckling as he went, "I… don't really want my patrons to have all their fur fall out, sir."

Kozlov laughed back, before looking away and waving down Nick's concern idly with his paw. "T'chork… Waste in far end of cave under concrete, is fine… Besides, I also started new business that will remove it. Plutonium is actually great stimulant in small doses!"

Reaching down beneath him, Kozlov pulled out a large bottle of what Nick assumed was lemonade. The Liquid inside was a fluorescent yellow that almost seemed to glow, some of the frost on the table around it seemingly reflecting its colour. The label on the front proudly showed a picture of Kozlov relaxing on a beach lounger on a snowy shore, while the words 'Chernobylade' were written in blocky script above him.

Nick pulled back for a second, awkwardly looking away as began twiddling his index finger around his tie, the fabric wrapping itself around the warm maroon appendage.

"Nikolay… please!" Kozlov… begged? The bear was suddenly leaning forward, his eyes almost desperate and his mouth quivering open as you spoke. "I need this for my little Morris! It is vital. I will give you good food! For you and all your friends." The polar bear now had his head lying down on the floor beneath Nick, his arms clutching together and reaching up to him as if he were a sinner trying to get in through the gates of heaven. The normally small and cold eyes seemed wider, and covered in moist dew. Nick truly didn't know what to do or say, Kozlov was well known for intimidating and violently disposing of enemies but here… now… what was going on?

"I um… want to go visit my friends, see if they are safe first…" Nick awkwardly replied.

Kozlov almost leapt up, his collar bright orange as an even brighter grin grew on his face. "And then you come back for Wild Times 2, yes?"

Nick desperately nodded, with Kozlov getting even more ecstatic with the reply.

"Is Nice… Is very Nice! You are great Mammal Nikolay, I am so…"  **Zap…**  Kozlov winced slightly from the shock, before smiling once again and carrying on in a calm, warm voice. "You do not know how much this means to me Nikolay. I believe this is start of beautiful friendship."

The Polar bear outstretched his paw and Nick shook it, the small quivering at the edge of his happy smile the only sign that it was a veneer. Nick was still very much afraid of Kozlov's reaction when he found out about what Nick had done, and he wanted to get out as soon as possible. Things, however, became complicated when Kozlov gave him a hearty pat on the head. Nick winced down, feeling Judy's small claws scratch into his fur as they tried to hold herself in place. He also heard her audible 'aaahh' and saw Kozlov's jovial expression falter.

"What was noise?" he asked, part curious and part angry.

"Noise? What noise?" Nick began to stutter, desperately trying to explain his situation, before he ran with the first idea that came into his mind. "Oh, that… It's a… nervous tick I've developed, you see! From my ventriloquism, it's just a hobby I've been practicing."

Looking on with a cheesy grin, both Nick and Kozlov's collars flicked orange, as the latter spoke up, "show me."

"Ummm," Nick began, "well I have this great party piece, you know Try everything by Gazelle?"

"No."

"Well, today is your lucky day… a one, a two, a one two three four!"

"Oooh oooh ooooh ooooooh! Try everything," came Judy's out of tune rendition from under the hat, as Nick played his part by mouthing the lyrics.

"Oooh oooh ooooh oooooooooooooooh!" Judy sung again, the last 'oooh' drawn out in surprise as Kozlov leant over and grabbed the hat off Nick's head, revealing nothing. There was an awkward silence for a few moments, before Kozlov spoke up.

"I have been practicing magic with Morris," he began, his voice deep and brooding with anger. "Look, I pull rabbit out of hat!" His paw jumped upwards and then yanked down, Judy firmly held within his grasp. The angry polar bear looked at Judy, before turning back to Nick and sighing sadly. "Why?" was all he asked, his voice soft but very much disappointed.

"Because… It was the right thing to do," Nick replied, for once confident and sincere.

Kozlov sniffed slightly, with a few tears running down his cheeks. "I see… why. She is like my little Morris… She is like I was when young. Like you too, I guess? Crazy ball of determined energy?"

Nick merely nodded sadly, as Kozlov got up and began mumbling to himself.

"I see," he finally said, his melancholic voice sadly filling the air. "Great shame, had you not done this and asked for her freedom. I would have probably done so. But she knows our plans now, so she must die. I must punish you too."

Nick looked up, backing off slightly as the still sad Kozlov walked around to meet him, "You will be with her in freezer with her. I will give you food and water, unlike her. But you will be with her when she goes. So you know what I can do to you if you betray me once more" All throughout this, the Polar Bear not once raised his voice, his tone was merely sad. A kind of sad that Nick had come to know well enough in the past few years. As Kozlov grabbed Nick, like Judy, with his paws tightly around their necks, the Fox was left trying to understand what was truly getting to Kozlov.

.

The quiet mood continued as both Nick and Judy were chained up together, and left hanging alone in the dark of the cold freezer. The silence was only interrupted by the quiet sound of the two mammal's breath's and their soft heartbeat.

"I'm sorry," Nick finally said, quietly as he looked back at Judy. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you then, but I do have a backup plan."

"Thanks. But I didn't need saving," she replied nonchalantly.

His ears pricked up, Nick shuffled around and spoke again, his tone getting slightly aggressive, "You know, I'd think someone facing deaths door would be a bit more open to polite comfort, huh?"

Judy chuckled slightly, before turning back, "Oh Slick. You don't get it, do you. You do realise that the police likely knew that I had vanished a few hours ago."

"So?" Nick asked, his head turning around to look at Judy while also tilting with curiosity.

"They knew I was going to your parents' store, they'll go there and pick up my trail! Sooner rather than later, they'll be knocking on Kozlov's door. Zootopia's biggest mob boss caught red handed along with its most wanted fugitive!"

"Are you… are you out of your mind?" Nick began, as he turned away. "Nobody can follow a trail for that distance, not even us Foxes!"

"They just need to know that polar bear was there and they'll make an educated guess."

"Pah," Nick said, spitting as he looked down. "Combing for furs will take too long, and no prey mammal has a nose strong enough to detect it straight off the bat."

"Oh, there are some…" Judy began to tease. Nick squinted in thought, trying to decipher the riddle until the horrifying reality came to him in a flash. His collar loudly beeping up to orange, his eyes opened and ears shot back in fear. Meanwhile, Judy began singing. "Bad Fox, Bad Fox, what you gonna do? What you gonna do when Razorbacks come for you?"

There was a sudden bang, followed by the loud blowing of a fan as the frost and snow in the freezer began whipping around them. It was soft at first, but soon it became apparent that Judy was actively shivering, followed by Nick.

"Umm… Nick," Judy asked sheepishly, "you mentioned… a backup plan?"

"I did," he cheekily replied, "and if you can justify why I should bother about you now, I'll let you in on it."

Judy opened her mouth to speak, before stopping. As Nick began to jiggle about in his chains, Judy just stayed silent, eyes welded shut and puckered mouth wiggling about as she tried to contemplate a suitable answer.

.

**-Meanwhile, at city hall-**

.

Two hooves frantically trotted along the glistening tile floor of city hall. All around Mayor Swinton, mammals hurried back and forth carrying papers and files detailing various policy proposals or new laws that had to be implemented. Every now and again, one would glance Swinton and give a cursory wave, only to back down when they saw the state she was in. Her normally pristine suit was crumbled up from the panicked running while her perfectly permed hair had collapsed into an ugly mop. The last couple of hours had been absolute chaos, with a prisoner escaping from police custody and going on a path of destruction through Little Rodentia. She was incalculably glad that no-one had been injured, but the potential had never been that far away. Worse still was how he had vanished off the map, taking his delusions of grandeur and the key to finding his accomplices with him. All in all, she had no control over this dangerously unpredictable event, her citizens were at risk, her voters would think she was useless and there was nothing she could do about it.

Barging through the doors into her Office, she recoiled in surprise, before bending over and smiling with relief. "Oh thank god," she quietly muttered, before standing back up and walking forward with a smile on her face. In front of her, three tough Boars were standing around Woolly, talking to him. But these weren't just any Boars, these were some of the most elite crime fighters in the city.

"Yes, yes, there's lovely, you're my favourite by the way. Two L's… or is it one, I can never remember… Thank you very much sir," Woolly was eagerly saying, almost giddy with excitement as the largest Boar, a hulking grey furred tank with a minigun strapped to his back, signed a photograph of his team and Woolly. The sheep, looking up with a giant grin on his face, shouted out, "Do you believe it Ma'am? It's the chuffing Razorbacks!"

"I chuffing well can see," Swinton almost squealed, her hands up near her snout with glee as she walked on, giddy with awe. The Razorbacks had a ruthless track record, a notoriety for violence, and a macho image that not even the most sensible Sow like Swinton could resist.

"Captain Frank N Hunter, at your service ma'am," proudly saluted the grey Boar, his hairy arm shooting into a proud salute over his fierce right eye. Swinton tried to focus away from it, seeing as that eye was a very unnerving milky white nothingness. The scars above and below, left after a pitched battle against a Polar Bear that occurred ten years ago, left little to the imagination. Already quite old, Captain Hunter's grey fur was turning a majestic silver at the edges while his bare muscular arms and body armour wore numerous battle scars, each one proudly displayed. As well as his hulking minigun, designed to barrage miscreants with fast acting tranquiliser darts, he wore a bandolier of such ammo across his chest.

"Lieutenant Peter Roni, ma'am," sternly saluted the second, smallest member of the team. His brown and white face, with two huge and curving tusks, was stern and sincere.

"Second Lieutenant, Brad Wurst, mayor," the third final member of the team said casually. The final member of the team, a well-built recruit who had barely passed his twentieth birthday, suavely extended his hand. Blushing, Swinton eagerly shook it and took her time to study the fine specimen in front of her. His fur was luscious, almost silky, while coloured a ravishing terracotta. He had four discrete tusks, sticking out from his Jaw in a way that was undefinably yet irrefutably right. Above his handsome eyes, a black bandanna was tied across his forehead while a bandolier of throwing knives was pinned across his chest.

"Stop flirting with the mayor, Wurst," barked Hunter, who looked over at his youngest teammate with disgust.

"My apologies," he replied, his calm and smooth voice flowing out as he stood back up.

"Don't worry…" Swinton reassured the team, before composing herself and speaking out, "I assume you are here to deal with our Con-Fox issue? While overkill, I'm glad that the heroes of our city are here to catch him. The residents of Little Rodentia will be especially pleased, I've heard reports of traumatic flashbacks from the Baby Elephant catastrophe of a fortnight ago."

"The Fox isn't our priority," Hunter butted in. Swinton pulled back in confusion, and was about to speak when she was cut off. "Our priority is trainee detective Judy Hopps, who vanished several hours ago."

Swinton pulled by in shock, before she began pacing back and forth in worry. "No, no, no,no… not good… really not good… out of control… out of control…" she began to mutter, panic rising through her body as she paced.

"Then again," Wurst smoothly interjected, "we may get two birds with one stone. Hopps vanished while investigating our savage Fox's old home."

The mayor stopped, bolting dead upright, "Oh no… In that case then go out and find her. I promoted that bunny up to help secure the rabbit vote. If she dies… I don't think I could ever forgive myself."

"And you'd lose a chunk of support," butted in Roni sarcastically, catching the attention of all four in the room.

"Roni!" The mayor shouted out, before frantically returning to her neurotic state, "Please… Yes it's true but… Now's not the time!"

"I will not lie to you, Ma'am," Hunter barked, as he sternly took command of the situation again. "These cases may be unrelated, but we will treat them as if they are. Roni will go to the house and try to pick up a scent, one that should lead us to her. However, we have never gone against any mammal with such as strong nose as this Fox in anything but an upfront battle. Even if he's half nose blind and congested with the flu, he would probably be better than master sniffer Roni. We've got one shot to ambush him before he can recognise our scent, and if we fail things get much harder."

"Ok," Swinton cautiously replied, before her smile grew, "but I bet one shot is all you need."

The three pigs saluted her and immediately speed marched out of the room, leaving Swinton with Woolly. The sheep looked around for a bit, before tapping the Mayors shoulder and handing her a sheet of paper.

"Wurst's phone number Ma'am".

There was a pause, as Swinton began to shake. A massive grin on her face, she suddenly jumped forwards and embrace Woolly in a huge hug. The perplexed sheep looked down befuddled, and after a few seconds Swinton's eyes opened and awkwardly looked up. Her smile fading, she quickly thrust Woolly away and stood up, desperately composing herself and cleaning wool from her clothes.

"This never happened," she sternly said, before cracking a small grin and whispering, "but thanks."


	20. Chapter 20

_"It's just a test, a game that we all play,_

_Win or lose, it's hard to smile"_

**Chapter 20:**

.

The chains tying them together rattled and shook along with Nick, who was frantically shifting his weight back and forth. Judy, ears weighed down by a growing set of icicles, merely sat impatiently as she waited for a released. Her face still puckered up, shifting here there and everywhere, as she tried to think of a suitable response to the Fox's request. Well, she could easily think of two or more dozen which were entirely valid to any sensible mammal. Sadly, in her view, Nick was most definitely not a sensible Mammal. Finally, with a huff, she gave up just as a clatter rang out. Nick had finally succeeded in his aim, dislodging the screwdriver he had used to unlock Judy earlier and allowing it to fall into his waiting feet. Flicking it up, he deftly caught it in his mouth and immediately thrust it into the padlock. Slipping and sliding it around, trying to feel out the various tumblers as best he could, Nick was relieved that it was very much a Furussian product. An angle grinder would hardly make a dent on the outside; you could throw it into the sea and it could be fished out a decade later fully functioning; it likely cost nothing and the internal technology was decades out of date. Oblivious to what was going on behind her, Judy chose this time to speak up.

"Can we please just find a way out?" she asked wearily, both from the strain of thinking and the draining bite of the ever increasing cold.

Spitting out the screwdriver, Nick turned around and gave a smug grin as he let the unclasped padlock fall away. "Oh I did, for me," he boasted, rubbing his victory into Judy's nose. Shifting the chains that bound him up a bit and letting them unwind, he turned around and gave his smug last words to the annoying Bunny Cop. "See you later, sucker. Ha Ha!" he said, as the last chains slipped and he was unbound. Falling forward, Nick braced for the impact only to feel the chains still around his legs tighten. The floor was still coming up to him, but then it was flying over his head as he, quite painfully, came face to face with Judy. Smashing into her, his stomach immediately winded by the impact of her surprisingly large face, Nick was left hanging as he contemplated his situation. "This is not my day!" was the very annoyed end product of said contemplation. Shifting his feet again, buoyed by the feeling of the final few chains around his them loosening, Nick smiled slightly at Judy's annoyed face, only for his eyes to catch a small notebook, different from the previous one, falling from her pocket. It bumped on the floor and opened, spilling out to reveal various scribbles and notes. Peering down, Nick noted a list of species names: Tiger, Lion, Bear, Wolf… and by each one there was a random set of numbers and letters. It took him a few seconds to register what it was, before the full realisation hit him like a freight train. "You ran their plates?" he urgently asked, just as the chains finally gave way and the two fell in unison onto the floor. Judy grabbed the notebook and stuffed it back in her pocket, while Nick got up onto his feet. "Did you get an address?" he asked, even more urgent this time.

Suddenly, the sound of a bolt opening rang out and a crack of light shone across the floor. Realizing that the door was being opened, Nick grabbed Judy and ran towards the nearest shelter, a trolley with a huge cake resting on top of it. Leaping onto the bottom tray of the trolley, hidden from view by a tablecloth, Nick desperately hoped that whoever was coming in didn't know about Kozlov's latest prisoners. Luck was on their side, as after a few seconds Nick and Judy felt the tray jolt forward and begin to move. Looking back at Judy, and in a quiet whisper for even a church mouse, Nick asked again, "Did you get an address?"

Judy turned around and stared Nick in the eye, her nose twitching furiously with anger. "It doesn't matter, you're going back to the station!" she whispered, the quiet volume doing nothing to dampen the anger in her voice.

Nick shook his head bitterly, reconsidering just how stubborn Judy really was. "If I go back to the station, I'll never get my life back!" he said, trying to explain his situation.

Judy ignored Nick's attempts, instantly brushing them away, "We're not going to talk about it anymore."

Nick was about to speak back, but something suddenly pricked his ear. Pausing, and glancing around, both mammals swivelled their ears in an attempt to work out what was going on outside. There were screams, laughter and unbearably cheesy music. It almost sounded like a party. Silently telling Judy to stay still with an outstretched palm, Nick carefully pulled up the tablecloth and looked out, his muzzle cautiously poking into the open. It was a party. Little bear cubs ran here there and everywhere while adults mingled with each other. All the tables were set out with cutlery and a generous bunch of green balloons. Looking forwards as the trolley was slid to a stop at the end of a row of seats, Nick glanced over to a corner where piles of presents were stacked beneath a cake. Green wrapped presents and a green iced cake and green balloons… how much did this kid like green? But looking up, Nick spotted the banner above the cake and presents. Like everything else, it was green, but instead of 'Happy Birthday', it spelled out 'Zootopia welcomes you'. Nick instantly knew what this was, why Kozlov was acting so strange and why there was so much green. His eyes widened and ears shot back as he felt himself gag with revulsion and, fighting the bile trying to rise up within him, he dove back under the cover and turned to Judy. "We gotta move…"

"Why?" Judy asked, completely none the wiser.

Nick merely hushed her as he crawled to the other side of the trolley and looked out. Making sure the ghost was clear, he turned back and ordered Judy onwards, "Now."

The two scurried out from their hiding place and dove beneath the end of the long line of chairs. Filled with sitting polar bears, their thick legs and the shade providing decent enough shelter in which to sneak to the door at the other end. Crawling forward carefully, they had almost reached the end when Kozlov's voice rang out.

"Ok… Ok…" he said trying to get attention, the second call raised in volume. After a pause, in which the general sounds of the party failed to dissipate, Kozlov went for the nuclear option. "OK!" he shouted, his loud voice silencing the room. His hard expression instantly softening, he began calling out in a gentle, fatherly tone. "Where is Morris? Morris? Come here please…"

Judy, who at this point was in front of Nick, looked on curiously at the spectacle. Held up behind her, however, Nick tried to turn away. He didn't want to see this. He really didn't want to see this. His ears drooping and eyes sagging down, he tried to push out his feelings but they merely spilt back into the void he was trying to create. His only chance was to get out now, so he turned to Judy and urged her on. "Just keep going…"

"There you are…" came Kozlov's voice, as a small bear cub wandered up to the front. Dressed in simple children's clothes and without a collar, he stepped up the stage and stood beneath his father. "Today, my little Morris is no longer a cub…" Kozlov began, his voice attempting to sound proud but poisoned by a subdued sadness running underneath. Nick observed that, unlike say the crying Mum of a bride, there was no joy in this sadness, just an empty hollowness. Kozlov, pausing for a moment as he almost willed himself to say the next words, finally continued. "Today, he becomes…"

"A big bear!" finished the little Cub immediately, his cute high pitched voice brimming with excitement and pride, as if it had all been sucked out of his father.

"Is this, is this a taming party?" Judy asked curiously. She had heard of them before, celebrations for when a young predator was old enough for his collar, but never seen one, so looked back at Nick for confirmation. Nick, however, was still. Face tilted down at the floor, he was deeply inhaling and exhaling as one of this thumbs roughly stroked his tie, desperate for comfort. He was trying to look away, he didn't want to see this, but for some reason his gaze was drawn upwards. Peering up, his eyes looked on at the unfolding spectacle, before he pulled them back down to stare at the carpet. A bear had strolled up to the stage with a box, similar to the ones used for jewellery, and handed it over to Kozlov. Holding it open and opening it, the crowd gasped with awe and excitement as Morris's reflection appeared in the lid. The cub's eyes, however, were trained at the item resting on the cushioned base. A tame collar, freshly made and shining. Picking it up, Kozlov smiled a thin, quivering smile as he pulled out a slip of paper and began reading.

"With this collar, Zootopia welcomes you," Kozlov announced, looking down at his son as each word, both proud and melancholic, escaped his mouth.

"With this collar, Zootopia welcomes me," came the chirpy reply. Excited, eager, and spoken in a way that almost made it sound like Morris was worried about messing it up, like a child's lines in a school play.

Judy was still looking on curiously, while behind her Nick sighed and looked up. His eyes trembling slightly and moist with wetness, he slowly pulled himself backwards and slowly blinked, bracing himself.

"With this collar, Zootopia celebrates you," Kozlov continued.

"With this collar, Zootopia celebrates me," Morris replied.

"With this collar, Zootopia accepts me."

"With this collar, Zootopia accepts me."

The edges of Kozlov's mouth pulled up in a trembling smile as he knelt down with the collar in hand. Waving Morris over, he carefully placed the open band over his head and around his neck. As the cub began shifting, snuggling the back of the strap into his waiting fur, Kozlov brought the two ends together and paused. His hands were visibly shaking now while his eyes were glazing over. Holding his squinting eyes closed while his mouth began to twitch with each twinge of sadness, Kozlov turned away unable to look his son in the eye. Morris remained oblivious, smiling happy and proud, until he heard the sound of his father's collar flick up to orange.

Pausing, Morris looked up at his father in concern. Confused by what was going on, he gently spoke up, half trying to comfort and half wanting an explanation. "What's wrong Papa?"

Kozlov's ears twitched as he turned around to face his child. A quivering smile once more pulled across his muzzle, he spoke gently back to his son. "Nothing, Papa is just… happy for you." He closed his eyes, and pulled his sons collar closed. With a click, it locked permanently shut and, as Morris looked down and curiously felt it, it hummed to life. The little cub smiled proudly and walked forwards to embrace his dad in an eager hug, with Kozlov reciprocating with a tender embrace. "Thankyou Papa," Morris said, before Kozlov sadly waved him off. Almost immediately the music began again as the cub walked to the front of the stage and began jumping around, proudly celebrating his first few moments of official adulthood. Kozlov, looking on with a flinch of concern pulling across his face, merely raised his hand slightly as he gently called out his son's name as a warning.

Judy looked on from beneath the chairs, her initial trepidation and curiosity replaced with happiness and pride for the little cub. The music began again, and the crowd of children began excitedly cheering and clapping at the newly adult boy in front of them. So grown up, so smart, even though he was playing and giggling just like before he seemed so much more mature. From the roof, a cluster of green balloons was released and began floating down. Looking up, Morris screamed with delight and began dancing around, his head raised high with his newly orange collar on displace.

Looking on with growing horror, Kozlov tried once more to warn his son. Still the same soft voice, still a whisper, but the volume higher and tone more urgent, he said "Morris!" once more, but it was too late.

 **Zip…**  The quiet sound echoed across the room, the music abruptly stopping as the entire crowd gasped before falling into silence. Judy winced, her previous happiness for the cub washed away, before she opened her eyes to look on. While Kozlov at the back wore a horrified gasp on his face, his mouth hanging open in a gape while his collar shone orange, Morris slowly un-winced himself from the sting. All the pride and happiness from before had gone in an instant, the little cub confused and lost as he held a trembling paw up to where his collar had shocked him. Tugging it slightly, he sniffed as he felt the other side of the strap pinch into his neck. He turned around, and his scared and confused eyes met the desponded eyes of his father. Kozlov blinked, his eyes suddenly changing into ones of utter sympathy, as Morris silently ran and hugged his father. Kozlov hugged back too, silent and comforting, and he began gently stroking his son in a vain attempt to provide comfort.

Judy had spent this entire time with her mouth open in confusion, but she closed it and let her eyebrows sink as she turned to look back at Nick. The Fox had seen everything, his eyes as sympathetic as Kozlov's despite his desperate attempts to keep his emotions in check. He remembered when he was like Morris, a little boy eager to grow up. He remembered how his father had cried when Nick excitedly put on his collar, powerless to protect the one he loved. And he remembered the moment he realised what had been taken away from him, for the rest of his life.  _Zootopia welcomes you?_... It welcomes you to a life of hate and misery.  _Zootopia celebrates you?_... it condemns you… for who you are.  _Zootopia accepts you?_... It doesn't accept you, it fears you, and it can only begrudgingly ignore you if you sign over things that prey mammals take for granted every second of every day…. Nick blinked, trying to clear the tears from his eyes as he looked on. That poor boy… that poor innocent boy… he'll never be the same again… never play care free… never not know the stinging bite… never be able to ignore the hatred of the prey. Nick shifted his gaze over to Judy, his mind buzzing with emotional pain, and as he looked into her confused amethyst eyes, he saw the green spark in them go orange with a beep.

"Go…" was all he managed, weakly saying the words as he diverted his gaze once more to the floor. He saw Judy start to move in front of him, and quietly followed, alone with his thoughts.


	21. Chapter 21

 

_"Take a chance on me,_

_Gonna do my very best, and it ain't no lie,_

_If you put me to the test, if you let me try."_

**Chapter 21:**

.

The corridor was quiet, the only sound coming from the pair of footsteps running along, muffled by the thick carpet on the floor.

"Nick?" Judy quietly asked, as the larger Fox passed by her and peered at a window, before jumping up onto the shelf. His collar still shinning orange, he knelt down and grasped the bottom of the window and attempted to pull it up, his straining arms only managing to lift the bottom pane up a few millimetres before it jammed still, rattling in its frame. He huffed and let go, only for his ears to prick up as Judy jumped up beside him.

"It helps if you unlock the top lock too," she softly said, before leaping up to the top of the bottom pane and releasing the small brass lock, smiling as she did so. Nick smiled back, heaving as he lifted the window up and Judy jumped through, before following himself. Judy landed into the thick snowbank legs first, burying herself up to her neck in it. Looking to her side, she saw Nick shoot down head first, arms outstretched as if he were in a dive, and burying himself down to his waist with a satisfying crunch. His legs and tail, sticking comically out, quivered a bit before the entire bank exploded in a flurry of white powder. Standing on all four limbs, Nick shook the snow from his fur and clothes as he stood up and held out a paw, pulling Judy out of her own hole. Silently, the two stood up and walked out into the open. They were surrounded on all sides by tall buildings, warm orange and red glows shining from their windows as night slowly approached. In front of the two lay a large cobbled courtyard, with a host of cars and vehicles lying around. The only way out, apart from climbing up one of the many fire escapes and into a building again, was via a narrow gated exit to one side.

"Judy," Nick began as he looked down at her, "you open the gate, I'll hotwire a vehicle and get us out of here."

"Us?" Judy asked curiously as they walked onwards, before her tone hardened "Or you."

Nick chuckled slightly, rolling his eyes. "You got me there, Fluff."

Judy sighed and stopped for a moment, looking down at the floor. Nick carried on walking for a few seconds before registering this and, pausing, he looked over his shoulder to see her messing about with the snow with her feet. "I'm sorry," she glumly began, before looking up and speaking out more confidently, "I still have a duty. Trust, Integrity, bravery… I swore an oath Nick. I have to bring you in. And I know… I know you're angry about that Cub getting a nasty first shock but…"

She trailed off into silence as Nick walked back to meet her, his arm gently extending to cradle her head, he placed his claws beneath her chin and tilted it up so that her eyes met his. "I get it," he shrugged, before his gaze and tone hardened slightly, "And I wasn't angry."

Judy smiled, before blinking with confusion, "then… then why did your collar to orange?"

Nick stood up and began strolling over to the parked vehicles, scanning each one to see which would be easiest to hotwire. The Limo's, cars and trucks would provide him shelter from prying eyes but would all need breaking into, adding time and danger. A moped or something would be much quicker to hotwire, yet it would leave him exposed for identification, and he needed secrecy if he planned on returning to Honey's. It was a tough call, but he was distracted as Judy spoke again.

"Are you angry?" she asked, her tone harsher now.

"No, I'm not. What makes you think that?" Nick replied as they reached the nearest vehicle, a small and battered snow speeder. Jumping onto it, He extended his claws and began fiddling with the lock trying to worm the loosely fitted mechanism out of its fixing. He tried to focus on the task at hand in silence, his face wearing a stone cold expression while his collar shone orange, showing his simmering emotions beneath.

"Your collar is orange."

Nick eyes flickered down towards the side of his neck briefly and he snorted. "For the record, I am not mad. Just... upset. Sad, regretful, grief maybe... but not angry."

"Then why is your collar orange?" Nick ignored her question. Frowning, she put on an authoritative voice and commanded, "Nicholas Wilde, I demand that you-" The fox interrupted her with a short bark of bitter laughter.

"You know, Carrots, for a ZPD officer you really have little idea how Zootopia works. Did no one ever tell you about the collars?" When Judy didn't reply, he continued, "I thought so. You really have to give the tops credit for their brainwashing. No, Hopps, these collars detect more than just anger. They detect  _emotions._ Fear, lust, happiness, anxiety, excitement, anger, sadness, even pain... Everything and anything that gets our Pred hearts beating fast. Ow!"

Nick jerked his paw back as he accidentally poked himself on a sharp object. He sucked the wounded appendage for a moment before resuming, "But of course, no one cares. As long as we Preds are kept in check and prey can live on obliviously, it shouldn't be an issue that needs addressing, right?" He said all of this without any expression on his face, but the scathing tone of his words and the orange light around his gave his true feelings away.

"What, what were you feeling?" Judy asked, suddenly very quiet, and curious.

"I was sorry for him," came the sad reply, as Nick's collar flick red for a second, a minute  **Zip…**  sounding out and causing him to flinch as the entire event played out again in his mind once more. He bent down, and began to focus more and more at the task at hand, eyes and ears pulled down as he tried to leave it all behind him, although the memories still trailed and replayed in his mind despite his best efforts. They were banished, however, when he heard the soft sound of feet landing on the metal of the snow speeder and, pricking his ears up out of curiosity, he looked to his side to see Judy standing level to him. She looked up to him, her eyes sad and her face contorted with confusion, as she raised a paw ready to comfort.

"I didn't know," she said softly, as her paw remained raised, but its offer untaken. "I thought it only went off if Preds were angry, or super excited. That’s what everyone says, even the instructors in the academy. Why don't you tell more people this? It could get fixed."

He looked away bitterly, but he could still sense Judy by him, the sound of her breath, the smell of her scent, and he subconsciously glanced at her, her paw still out. He flicked back to the speeder, only to steal another glance at the little bunny beside him.

"We do, often," Nick finally said, shrugging as he did so before his voice turned aggressive, hundreds of memories of insults, hateful comments, snide remarks and poor behaviour replaying through his mind. Looking back at Judy, his collar still shining orange as it had done throughout the night, he spilled out his reply with his voice raised, as angry as he dared let it be. "It's not like the prey care! Or believe! Or would even spend time or money trying to improve these vile things! They just like to make like miserable for us Preds because it makes them feel good! I mean, even you don't trust us without them. You said it yourself, find a way to fix it! Not find a way so we don't have to wear them!"

Judy, taken aback by Nicks sudden aggression, shot back her reply while her nose twitched furiously. "Hey! I'm trying to be nice here."

Nick turned to face her, muzzle still wrinkled with lines of aggression, before they released and he chuckled. Judy looked on perplexed, confused at his sudden mood change, before she resigned herself to his sarcastic takedown. "Oh yes, yes. Very nice. I'm Judy Hopps, I'm here to protect all the mammals, except poor wittle cubs who get electrocuted for the evil crime of being too excited on their birthday! I'm the one who hates backwards attitudes to foxes but carry's Fox repellent, a Taser and thinks my kind are all bad and don't know a word with more than two syllables!"

"Well the past evidence I'd seen at the time supported those ideas quite well," Judy retorted.

"Oh yes, oh yes, all the horrible nasty Foxes in my bunny books and bunny nursery rhymes and bunny cartoon shows who all wanted to cook me in a pot!" Nick shot back, more whimsical than angry at this point.

"What even is your problem?" Judy snapped, "I wanted to comfort you, I wanted to help…"

"NO YOU DIDN'T," Nick barked, interrupting Judy as he turned away from the ignition switch, banging it out of frustration. His right eye twitching slightly as his collar flashed red, the  **Zap…**  ringing out for several bone shuddering seconds as pained groans escaped his painfully bared teeth. The shock releasing him, he held up his palm to silence Judy while taking several deep breaths in order to calm down and then continuing, his voice laced with a slowly simmering anger. "You don't want to help me; you want to arrest me. Even then, do you know how much 'help' I've been offered over my life. All this tacky advice about calming down, taking it chill, mellowing out, 'learning to love the collar…'" Nick scowled as he remembered that one, spitting spitefully on the cold ground before he relaxed and turned back to the lock, muttering out the rest of his response. "All by Prey mammals who've never been hurt or mistreated or insulted or even touched a collar. I always ask them, what do you know? Have you ever worn a collar? But they say no, why would I ever do that? When I suggest that it's so they know what it's like, they scoff and turn away. They don't care, the Prey never cares, not really. They just want someone to look down on." Silence filled the air for a moment, Nick focusing as hard as he could on digging out the lock while Judy stayed silent, thinking.

"This prey cares," came a soft reply, "and I believe, and I think it needs fixing. If you guys are punished for empathy…"

"And grief," Nick interrupted almost casually, as the lock finally flicked out of its mounting. As he cut the different wires with his claws, he continued speaking in an almost light hearted voice, as if he were offering silly suggestions to some problem. "…And sadness, and fear, and terror, extreme pain is a doozy. Happiness and joy are real bummers too. We only rarely get shocked for that last couple, you do need to be very, very emotional, but even the warning…" Nick stopped and sighed, before his mock chirpy tone faded and he continued in a sad, tired, weary tone. "It's always there, telling us that these things are bad and wrong. That it isn't right. That we need to stop feeling right now and kill our emotions, or we'll be in line for a punishment. Knowing the noose is around your neck and getting tighter, I think that part is just as bad as the shocks…" Nick went quiet, body slumping as he bent down. Holding the wires up with his hand and, opening his jaw, he stuck them in his mouth before biting down hard.

"Yeh, all that," Judy apologetically replied, "we're… we're turning you into unfeeling monsters…" She paused for a moment, before her eyes shot open with embarrassment. As Nick pulled back, spitting out the wire insulation he had bitten off, Judy began to frantically speak. "not monsters… uhm, killing machines doesn't work, I mean you guys used to but uh, I don't think you enjoy being called chompers…"

"Do you guys like being called cute dumb bunny's?" came Nick's sarcastic rhetorical question as he fiddled around with the newly bare wires, his voice surprisingly warm, with a suppressed chuckle at the end as he took a bit of joy at insulting Judy back.

"No," Judy replied suddenly, before she began to nervously mumble. "I…Uh… Look," she said, finally finding her confidence and speaking softly but frankly. "We remember the past and you guys, I know you don't eat us anymore but, you're scary. There, I said it. I'm sorry if it hurts but I'm just telling the truth. I have two hundred and seventy-five siblings who I care about more than anything else in this world and, I'd do almost anything to protect them. Even collar Preds if I thought they were a risk, but the one you have on is too harsh."

"Do you think I'm a risk," Nick said emotionlessly as he continued touching wire to wire, only for a sudden spark to flash out, spooking Nick and causing him to stumble backwards. Slipping on the floor, he fell painfully onto his back with a thud, only to glance to his right and see Judy.

"Have you ever hotwired a car before?" she sassily asked.

"I've seen it done on TV," Nick replied innocently, as Judy pulled him up by the paw before moving to the front of the speeder.

"I learnt how to do it in the academy," she said, as she began picking out the wires of the ignition, "and the Jury's still out on if you're a risk or not. So for now, I'll go for the safest option."

"That's how every Prey generation works Fluff," Nick sighed forlornly as he stood up, "and nothing changes. Everyone accepts that we'll go nuts without these things but, they've never given us a chance. Never, ever, not once since these things were first invented and installed and, if anyone brings it up, the Prey just say, 'we'll just stick with the safe option'. I mean, would you give me a chance?"

Judy paused, looking Nick in the eye before standing up. "If it weren't for these savage attacks…" she began, before pausing in thought and turning back to the task at hand.

"And If I'm right? If Lupus savage is causing them?"

"I'd..." Judy's voice withered off into nothing as she mulled over the subject while Nick looked on silently, his eyes half lidded with annoyance at both her and himself for asking such as stupid question. He was about to speak out when his nose twitched slightly then, with his ears picking up and scanning about worriedly, he turned away and began strolling off into the courtyard. Taking increasingly deep breaths, his eyes widening as he did so, his mouth began to tremble open with fear.

"Nick, are you okay" Judy enquired, looking over from her work on the ignition and both curious and concerned about Nick's sudden change in behaviour. He suddenly shifted around and stared at her, his collar beeping up to orange as terror took over him.

"It's the Wolf!" he shouted desperately, "Lupus Savage! We've got to go!"

"But…" Judy began, but Nick was already charging across the courtyard to the gate. She turned down to the wires at hand and held two together. They sparked, and the engine suddenly roared to life, Judy almost getting thrown off by the vehicle's sudden vibrations. Landing on her back on the rear seat, she looked up and saw the black silhouette of a medium sized mammal on the fire escape landing above her. She couldn't see much from here, only his large furry feet, his bushy tail, his trench coat, his long snout and the rifle he was holding up and taking aim down. Judy glanced forward to Nick, charging forwards toward the metal gate at the other side of the courtyard and out in the open like a sitting duck. Within seconds, she jumped forwards and, grabbing the throttle, gunned it. The roar from the engine was ear-piercing, echoing around the courtyard and causing the Wolf to flinch slightly as he took his shot.

Nick was charging towards the gate when the scream of the engine beckoned from behind him. His eyes remained forward, however, as he fixed them on the thick bar that kept the door bolted shut. It was only when he felt a yank on his left cheek fur, before seeing a tranquiliser dart dash onto the floor in front of him, that he turned around to look at the scene behind him. The snow speeder was accelerating across the courtyard, the thin layer of snow kicking up into a wide screen behind it. Judy, barely reaching the controls, showed no intention of slowing down while, up on a fire escape far above, Lupus was angrily cursing his miss and reloading his rifle. Glancing to his side, Nick grabbed a wooden pallet with his paws and swung it around just as Lupus took aim and fired again. Backing up against the cold hard gate, Nick felt the wood jolt as a second dart buried itself deep into the planks. Cowering, he hid almost the entirety of his body beneath the shield; bar his arms which were raised and pushed up at the heavy bar, dislodging it just as another dart sailed through Nick's arm fur, the fletching scratching the skin below. Pushing back on the gate with his back, Nick swung it open revealing the side street behind.

"Get on" came a shout, and Nick held out a hand and clung on to the speeder as it sailed past. The force yanked his arm, straining each muscle and tendon while almost pulling it clean out of his shoulder. The wind was suddenly whipping past him as he pushed up with a leg and swung over and onto the seat behind Judy. His breathing was rapid, collar dangerously orange, and he looked around with a smile before realising what Judy had just done. She'd just saved him.

"That was on hare-brained escape plan fluff," he joked ecstatically, before looking down at the Bunny. Slumped in the front seat, a large tranquiliser dart buried in her back, she managed to blub something incoherent before finally slipping out of consciousness. Nick immediately grabbed her, pulling her tight into his lap, before he bent over pinning her there. Arms and feet taking over the controls, he sharply turned right down a side street and out of any immediate line of fire.

.

Motoring down the empty street, Nick slowed down as he examined each and every control on his speeder. He began snaking at various speeds, trying to get a feel for the steering while he tested some gear changes, the loud metallic squeals evidence enough of his lack of practice with these kinds of vehicles. Glancing down at his now green collar, Nick turned ahead and began formulating a plan. He had to get from Tundratown to the rainforest district without being tracked or seen by police or the traffic cams, or giving Savage time to catch up. The idea of calling Finnick to pick him up was tempting, but it was dashed when Nick realized that he likely didn't have his van with him and, in any case, it gave Lupus easily enough time to track him down. He had to make the journey himself, somehow getting through one of the tunnels that connected the two districts without being seen. I took a bit of time, but Nick realised what he had to do, his collar turning orange again from his worry.

.

Glancing left and right, Nick gunned it and roared forward, speeding down the road before sliding to the right, cutting a corner and pushing out a spray of white powder in his wake. The buildings whipped past him, close on either side, as he shot out into the main square of Tundra Town. The Snow Bank to his right, Kozlov's restaurant to his left, Nick got in line with the traffic with the aim of keeping himself incognito as long as possible. It seemed to be working, as Nick exited the square and began driving along the exit road, right past a heavily armoured T.U.S.K van travelling the other way. Nick looked away as it roared past sirens blaring, hoping they hadn't recognised him, only to flinch down as he heard tire squeals from behind him. Looking back, Nick's eyes opened in horror as he saw the three furious Boar's in the driver's seat, the dreaded Razorbacks themselves. before he turned forward and went full throttle. His ears jolted back from the force of the wind, its deafening scream racked his brain as he turned into the middle of the road and began shooting past car after car, weaving past those to his right and narrowly dodging those racing past the other way on his left.

.

The Razorbacks van, meanwhile, began shimmying in and out of the traffic, overtaking cars before getting back in lane moments before a vehicle shot past the other way. Despite Nick having the width advantage, the elite team were catching up. Their leader, a battle hardened grey tank, grabbed his tranquiliser minigun and opened his sun roof, taking aim and ready to fire, his weapon spinning up as it trained on the back of the Fox up ahead.

"Sir, It's too dangerous, he has Hopps" came a cry from below. It's owner, a young Terracotta Boar, was studying Nick and Judy intently through his binoculars, before he pulled them down and slammed his fist into a button on the dashboard. "All ZPD units, block the western exits to all Tundra-Rainforest tunnels, Copy?"

"Copy squad 1," came a static reply from the other end. "Over."

The grey Boar, sitting back down and closing the sun roof turned to his driver, a brown and white Boar concentrating intently on the road ahead. "Roni. Keep on his tail, we trap him in the tunnel. Don't do anything too risky!"

"Affirmative sir," came the reply, as the Driver pulled in behind Nick as the road began snaking around a set of steep cliffs. Up ahead, the entrance to one of the tunnels kept peeping into and out of view as they got closer. As they passed the final exit before the tunnel, the leader chuckled to his crew, before folding his arms and looking on.

"We've got you now, Wilde," he proudly grunted, only for his eyes to widen in shock as Nick charged straight on and off the road as it bent left with the cliff face. He left the tarmac heading straight for a bluff above a cliff, picking up speed as he did so before he launched into the air. The three Boars looked on horror struck to their right, as the dinky speeder sailed through the sky before narrowly landing on the other side.

"That lunatic chomper is still on this road," Roni cried out as slammed his foot back down, the van roaring around the bend and fast approaching the landing spot, "he's still heading straight into the trap."

.

Nick was frozen as he sailed through the air, barely keeping his terror under control. As he began falling, time seemed to slow and it seemed like he could almost feel the static in his collar preparing to release. A discharge at this speed would likely send him tumbling off his vehicle in a lethal accident, although not making the jump would also have the same end result. Nick closed his eyes and braced, ready for the impact as the ground came up to meet him. The speeder slammed into the ground with a thud, Nick thrown forwards and barely keeping himself together as the soft snow slowed the still falling vehicle. Finally finding traction, the buzzing treads at the back kicked up a flurry of snow, pushing Nick through the tidal wave of powder his landing had kicked up and back onto the road. The Razorbacks had seemed cautious, for some reason avoiding a take down. Feeling something move in his chest, Nick looked down and realised in shock that the reason, Judy, was still nestled safely in his chest.

"Carrots!" he shouted out in panic, as he released one hand from the handle bars and rested it on her. "I… I forgot you were… I could have… you…" he began to stutter out, before he looked up and saw his destination. Pulling off the road again and putting his foot down, Nick careered off the tarmac and drove almost parallel to the precipice, slowly moving towards the edge. Bracing himself, he turned sharply to the right and launched himself off the cliff, sailing over the short gap and landing hard on a rail viaduct. The rail tunnel up ahead, unguarded and unmonitored, lay open and empty as Nick charged through into the pitch black. The looming pinprick of light far ahead getting larger at every second, Nick began to weave left and right, getting a feel for the position of the rails and sleepers, before finally launching himself off the track as he burst with a thud into the humid warmth of the rainforest district. Flying through the air, Nick braced for a final time as he jumped off the speeder and gathered up Judy's limp body in his arms, before crashing into the waiting lake below. There was silence, for a few seconds, before Judy floated up to the surface alone, a small dart still sticking awkwardly out of her. She stayed there, bobbing up and down motionless, as the rain fell around her relentlessly. Suddenly the water burst open, great waves being splashed up and out as Nick, coughing and spluttering, rose to the surface. His eyes wide and fur and clothes dripping wet, an orange collar shining out in the twilight, he recoiled in horror when he spotted Judy.

"Judy… Judy!" he began to shout, as he grabbed her and held her tight.

She coughed violently, water spraying out of her mouth, before several smaller, drier coughs rang out. Nick's tense face relaxed in a wave of relief as he cradled Judy in his arms and beneath his muzzle, all the while slowly making his way to the shore.

"Word of advice Carrots," Nick weakly joked, "Underwater shocks ain't fun."


	22. Chapter 22

_"They laugh at me, these fellas,_

_Just because I am small._

_They laugh at me because I'm not a hundred feet tall."_

.

**Chapter 22:**

.

The eyes on the shifty sheep clock threw a suspicious glance to its left, then its right, then back again; repeating the simple move on and on, over and over, as it diligently kept the time in Honey's chaotic bunker. The mood inside had long since passed being tense, it was now very much bored as the three occupants, all wearing delicately crafted tinfoil hats, idly sat down trying to keep themselves entertained. Honey and Clawhauser were busy peering over an ancient computer screen, discussing some mildly important business, while Finnick sat in the corner, peering around occasionally before his eyes closed and he began to head bang, all the while casually strumming an air guitar and humming as he went.

His ears flicking at the sound, Clawhauser looked over and smiled, joining in and nodding along with his friend. "Do the solo, Finn," the cheetah jokingly suggested, his loud call promptly followed by the fennec fox's arm violently cartwheeling around, strumming out the imaginary chords as he screamed out silent lyrics, his body shaking as he did so. "Call that a riff? I wanna see an orange light Finny," he said again, egging the fennec on. Finnick paused, looking up and thinking about whether the risk was worth it, before shrugging and beginning to tap his foot to a new, fast paced rhythm. He took a deep breath in and began counting to four, only for a loud bang to cut him off as he passed three.

"Ah Crap! It's the Herd boys!" Honey cried out with alarm, while both her collar and those on the others beeped up to orange as they readied themselves for whatever was coming down. Honey's paws shot straight out for her massive motorised hedge trimmers, yanking back the start cord as the engine roared to life in a cloud of oily two-stroke smoke, the shears at the front clipping away. Clawhauser nervously took her rear, a pair of large garden scissors in hand, while Finnick dove for his trusty baseball bat, patting it into his free paw as he prepared to give out a beating. Each mammal was ready to fight, gearing themselves up to battle with the interlopers while the creak of the hatch opening sounded out from above.

"Public service announcement: Major emotional release with potential for buzzing inbound, brace yourself guys and girl!" came a warm call, shortly followed by the three mammals below instantly dropping their weapons and shouting out ecstatically in unison. "NICK!" Even as their calls died down, another sound filled the air, as the three orange collars beeped up to red and let out a loud  **Buzz…**  As Nick slid down the ladder with Judy slumped comatose on his shoulders, he turned to see his friends bending over, grimacing as they lay on the receiving end of a set of two second shocks, the sharp light from the arcing electricity overpowering the single dim orange light bulb and painting the bunker's rusting metal roof a neon blue.

"Well, I did warn you guys!" Nick happily joked as he turned around to face them, only for his jovial expression to be wiped off his face as he saw Honey in front of him. Shaken by the zap, her hand nursing her neck near the shock unit, she was trembling badly, her eyes wide, vulnerable and moist. Beginning to break down and lose control of her emotions, her current sniffling was rapidly joined by faint sobs and then cries as her guilt went into overdrive, her mind mentally chastising herself brutally for her most recent evil transgression.

"Honey, Honey, Calm down!" Clawhauser immediately urged, having spotted her quivering along with Nick, and promptly racing over to help her. Planting his chubby arms around her in a comforting hug, he began to speak out reassuringly as he tried to console his emotional friend. "You're not a bad mammal, it's just the sheep! You're not a bad mammal, it's just the sheep…" he said, before continuing to repeat his words on and on.

Nick was still standing as the hubby cheetah repeated the words, pausing as he tried to work out the best course of action, before he slung a still drowsy Judy off his shoulder and onto a bed next to a very surprised Finnick. "Just keep an eye on her," was all he said, before moving over to Clawhauser to assist in comforting Honey. Finnick just stood still and confused, looking up at the rabbit cop mumbling incoherently next to him and trying to work out why on earth Nick had brought her, of all mammals, here. Finally, he scrabbled up onto the little bench next to her, taking the time to finally pluck out the tranquiliser dart still embedded in her shoulder, before impatiently snapping his fingers in front of her face, trying to bring her back to consciousness.

"Muh…huhhh…..," Judy incoherently mumbled after a dozen or so clicks and the odd wave. Her tired eyelids flickered up and down as she regained consciousness, before slamming down shut as she belted out a hacking cough, still trying to dislodge some of the lake water she'd ingested earlier from the depths of her lungs. Crouching over, she felt a paw slam down on her back as she choked up the final few drops, before her eyes finally opened fully and registered the bizarre situation around her. "Where am I?" she slowly asked, still slightly drowsy from tranquiliser and not sure whether what she was seeing was a dream or not.

"And why should I tell you that, copper?" replied an angry baritone voice to her side, and as she turned to face it she rested her eyes upon Finnick. She initially reacted with shock, pulling back with surprise, before calming down slightly and holding out a nervous paw to fuss the small fox's head fur, smiling with recognition. He merely looked on with thinly veiled contempt as her stroking increased, her tense posture relaxing and a smile growing on her face as her paws made their way up his twitching ears, before she shuffled over and pulled Finnick into a loving cuddle. Eyes closed with bliss, she didn't notice Finnick struggle and attempt to slip out, his mood souring fast from her patronising humiliation. His ears shooting back, claws slowly extending and muzzle tightening, back teeth barred as if to growl; it wasn't until the beep of his collar going up to orange that Judy was shook her to her senses. Looking down at him, visibly a bit wary, she backed off to give him some personal space before swooning as she turned back to face Nick.

"Isn't it cute when they get to self-conscious phase, Nick?" she innocently asked, still smiling as she looked over at Finn.

Nick, who was still by Clawhauser with Honey, looked over to face Judy for a few seconds, his head cocking to its side. "Pardon," was all he quizzically said, before turning back to his friend in need. Kneeling on the floor while Honey sat sniffling on a bench, the fox resumed gently stroking her clenched hands while speaking soft words of reassurance to her moist, scrunched up face. Clawhauser, meanwhile, was behind her and embracing her in a warm hug, gently licking the back of one of her ears.

"I said, isn't it cute when they reach the self-conscious phase?" came the louder reply.

"When who does?" Nick asked, paying little attention to her, his focus and gaze still fixed on Honey.

"You know, kits and babies? Like your son!"

"Son?"

Judy paused for a moment, blinking. "Duhhh… like your son right here, little Toot-Toot."

"Finnick isn't my son."

"Oh…" she said. "Is he a brother in law, because he looks like…"

"I have no Son!" Nick shot out, his collar turning orange as he turned to face Judy before impatiently explaining the situation. "Back when I hustled, I dressed Finnick there up as a kit to try and get some fair service. Now, I'm rather busy now so if you have any questions, please ask him! He'd be glad to explain each and every story down to the last excruciatingly embarrassing detail…" And with that, Nick turned back around to Honey, standing up slightly and offering her his tie so that she could dry her glazed eyes and fiddle with the fabric for comfort. Judy, meanwhile, was flabbergasted with the revelation and turned back to Finnick with shock, scanning every inch of him, from toes to ear tips, before slowly coming to the realisation of just how she'd been deceived.

"You're… not his son?" was all she could manage, still not quite sure of herself and stuttering as she asked Finn for confirmation.

"If anything, I'm his bigger brother," Finnick slyly shrugged. "Looking after him, spying on him… keeping him in check!"

"Well," Judy replied, "I may be a bigger sister, but that sounds just like the big brother 101. But why do you dress up as his son?"

Finnick grunted slightly, muzzle twitching as he got comfortable on the bed next to her, before giving his answer as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Like he said, dressed me up to get fair service."

"Yeh, but why?" she asked, before her tone became angry, almost nagging Finnick about his actions. "It's wrong…"

"It got us service!"

"But it was lying…"

"It got us service!"

"You deceived…"

"Only because we couldn't increase that dumb elephant's profits for that day, and earn ourselves a fair-ish living, any other way!" Finnick half shouted back, his gaze glancing down for a second as he heard his collar beep back up to orange.

"But..."

"Maybe the real problem is that we still couldn't get service playing the cute card up until you came, huh!"

Judy paused for a moment, mouth hanging ajar as she tried to think of a suitable retort, before she gave up and shook her head out of frustration. Finnick, smugly snickering at his victory while his collar cooled back down, looked on proud with his arms defiantly crossed. Judy, however, suddenly jolted upwards with realisation and turned to Finnick.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" she immediately spurted out; her arms instinctively out and her palms up defensively as she apologised.

"For what…?" Finnick curiously asked, before Judy continued.

"For petting you, and treating you like you were five or something when you're… you're?"

"Thirty-two," Finnick sullenly replied, his voice oddly soft and weak, part amazed and part touched.

"Oh Sweet Cheese and Crackers! I… I…" Judy began to incoherently babble, before being silenced as a sandy yellow paw gently planted itself over her mouth. Finnick looked on silently for a moment, the only sounds in the bunker the occasional sniff from Honey or 'there-there' from Clawhauser, before he shook his head and looked away.

"In… in all these years," he started quietly, his normal harsh tone tempered down into a touched one. "I've never had anyone apologise for treating me like a Kit…"

Judy looked on, before gently putting her paw on his shoulder and garnering his attention. "I know what it feels like to be small in a big city too."

Finnick smiled back gently, chuckling slightly, before speaking out, "Yeh, dodging all those big mammal footprints stomping around like they own the place!"

Judy giggled back, before piping in. "All the stupid door handles placed too high!"

"Back before mobile phones, having to jump and scrabble up to a pay phone to make a call!"

"Pedals in cars are too far away!"

"And your wooden extensions slipping and sliding about!"

"Missing smaller cars as the dashboards too high!"

"Getting pulled over and pulled over to make sure you are actually old enough to drive!"

"Bumped about here and there in the trains."

"Can't afford a good tailor…"

"OI!" came a shout from the other side of the room as Nick called across playfully with a scowl on his face, his pride wounded somewhat. Finnick, a chuckle flicking across his muzzle, just shrugged and carried on, making sure to clarify his point as he went. "Can't afford a good tailor with all the right equipment and materials to make clothes from scratch, so you have to go to the children's section!"

Judy broke down slightly, her chuckles turning into loud guffaws, only just kept under control from maturing into full blown laughs. "Sorry, sorry," she sputtered out as she tried to calm down, only for yet another chuckle to spurt out. "I've… never had to deal with that before. There are enough bunnies for the stores to have a special section…"

"Lucky you," Finnick sarcastically replied with an actual and genuine smile on his face. He shrugged and brushed down his current shirt, a black T-shirt with a proper collar and an off centre red stripe, before proudly telling its story. "Took me two days to find this pretty boy! Fortunately, Slick over there learnt just enough from his family before your lot carted them off to keep it together… along with enough to make that stupid Toot-Toot suit. I mean here I am, supposed to be mean and tough with my baseball bat and heavy music and rap, and all the stores sell in my size are superhero t-shirts and baby wear!"

Judy finally caved in, laughing from her mouth as she imagined the mean looking fox in front of her rocking out in a baby's onesie and bib. She paused for a moment, peering over to see that Nick was still attending to Honey, before turning back to Finn, intent on finding more about her new friend and bonding over something other than shared misfortune and experience. "What kind of music do you like?"

"French Rap."

Judy made a very disapproving grunt, her eyes half lidded with disappointment before she continued on, her voice quite tired and very unenthusiastic. "Anything else…?"

"Heavy rock, like Metelephant."

Judy just shook her head at this point, before asking Finn whether he liked, "Anything that's good taste?"

Pausing, Finnick mulled over the question before shrugging. "Define what you mean by good taste?"

"Well, I like Gazelle…"

"You shouldn't be defining good taste," Finnick immediately interrupted, any goodwill vanishing from his voice.

"Yes she should!" Clawhauser called from the other side of the room, briefly getting the two mammals' attention before they turned back to each other.

"A little bit of Jerry Vole, um…"

"Let me stop you right there," Finnick calmly said, before carefully looking around and whispering. "I'm so-so on old Jerry V, but that's more Slick's thing along with other slow and broody stuff, old and new. Harry Hyena, Fleet Foxes, bit of Simba and Garfunkle and Leopard Cohen. He used to listen to his parent's old records after the nasty business. But anyway, there is a guy whose music is… sort of similar to Gazelle, who I enjoy. But the fact that I like this guy must remain an utmost secret to preserve my dignity as a thug. Got it? On pain of teeth based facial removal!"

"Got it," Judy reassured him, as he leaned over and whispered something incoherent into her ear, her eyes widening as she learned the truth. She paused for a moment, looking almost shell shocked, before she snapped out of it.

"Justin Beaver!" she exclaimed, Finnick recoiling with a look of abject terror on his face and a newly orange collar, as he frantically waved at her in a futile effort to stop her spilling his secret. However, glancing to the side and seeing three pairs of perplexed eyes focussing on him, he realised the cat was now well out of the bag and his waves lost their energy. With his three friends on the other side of the bunker, and Judy in tow, rendered speechless, the room was silent for a moment.

"… Fine!" Finnick shot out angrily, breaking the peace as he stood up and beckoned to the entire room, loudly confessing his secret. "I like him! He's nice and cute and… Just deal with it!"

"You…" Judy began, her voice hesitant and confused as she took her time to think between each word. "Like… that cheesy, manicured teen?" She immediately winced back as Finnick, his mouth dropping open with shock at her perceived cultural blasphemy, let his collar go straight up to red. Before she could react, he grabbed her paw and thrust it beneath his plastic shock unit just as the electricity surged through with a loud  **Zap…**  While Finnick merely winced, used to the pain (and with a convenient paw shielding him), Judy screamed out as she desperately pulled back at her hand, tearing it out after the shock had run its course and nurturing the flaccid, aching paw carefully as she stroked the pain away. "That… was uncalled for," she seethed, looking back a now smiling Finn with contempt.

"Shame we can't agree on something else, Flopsy…"

Judy's gaze hardened, leaning forward as her nose began to twitch more and more, before she slowed and looked down at her hand, a twinge of guilt overcoming her. "I… I suppose it was," she reluctantly admitted as she shifted away from the fennec, ready to concede defeat, only for the fires to be stoked once more.

"Hey Slick," Finnick sarcastically called out, "I know how we can get rid of collars now. Just give the prey shocks! Worked on this Dumb Bunny…"

"I am not a Dumb Bunny, Toot Toot!" Judy immediately shouted, snapped back into action by the slur, while Finnick merely shrugged and gave his nonchalant response.

"Okay, Flopsy the Copsy…"

"Do you want me to hug you and squeeze you like the adorable fluff of fur you are?"

Finnick looked on at Judy, who was leaning forward and rudely invading his personal space, while her nose twitched furiously with anger, before idly turning back to Nick and casually relaying his latest observation. "Slick, you realise that when she's angry, she's at her cutest!"

"DON'T CALL ME CUTE!" Judy screamed.

"Well you are!"

"NO, YOU'RE CUTE!"

"No, you're cute!"

"NO, YOU'RE CUTE!"

"STOP CALLING EACH OTHER CUTE!" Nick shouted at the top his lungs, snapping both small mammals out of their argument as the red fox wandered over and planted himself between them, twiddling his thumbs and looking dead ahead with a stoic expression. There was a soft click, his orange collar going back down to green, and Nick's emotionless mask melted as his face relaxed and a smile returned to his muzzle.

"Right boy and girl," he cheerfully began, rubbing his paws while he peered over to the respective mammal as he spoke. "Let's get to business…"

"OH EM Goodness!" interrupted a loud voice from across the room as Clawhauser plodded over, collar glowing orange. Smiling with glee as his hands were tuckered up into his chin, he looked on at Judy while his tail whipped around frantically from excitement. "I didn't get to have a good look at you before… but, you are sooo…. Cute!"

While Finnick chuckled and Judy sighed with resigned annoyance, Nick closed his eyes and brought a paw up, face palming himself hard with frustration.

.

"I apologise for Clawhauser's lack of tact," Nick finally said as short while later, gesturing over to his excitable friend just as his jovial expression faded.

"Oh… I, didn't mean to offend you or anything, I just thought bunny's called each other cute and…" the fat cheetah began to say, trying desperately to explain himself to her.

"I know we call each other cute," Judy interjected calmly, "bunnies can call each other cute, but when other mammals…"

"Oh! I didn't know, it's like us and chomper, isn't it?" Clawhauser replied, sighing with relief as he did so. Judy merely blinked at the response and turned to look at Nick who, apparently, didn't seem to notice, although his eyes seemed to be discretely looking at her, almost as if they were trying to judge her reaction. Pausing, turning her gaze as she thought about, she shrugged before turning up to look Nick in the eye.

"I'm sorry I called you the C word," she said quietly, remembering their battle in Little Rodentia and the bitter screaming match that took place. Knowing how much she hated being called cute, she pulled back as she imagined how offended he would be from the insult, only to see Nick turn and face her. Smiling as he did so, Judy let a little grin grow on her mouth as well as she saw that he was feeling alright about it all.

"It's fine Carrots," he said softly, his grin growing mischievously as he spoke. "Besides, I think I called you the other C word many more times, so I'm the one who should be saying sorry."

"Thanks…" Judy said, shrugging as she did so before opening up as she began to speak, only for Nick to cut in in front of her.

"Anyway," he loudly announced, as he firmly took over the conversation once again. "You've met Clawhauser, Finnick and I. Over there is our dear friend Honey, the sweetest, sanest, most caring mammal in the whole world!"

Judy looked to the other side of the bunker and her eyes met with those of the brooding honey badger. Hunched over with her arms crossed tight, she looked back with thinly veiled contempt as she spoke out. "Baa…."

Judy merely looked on perplexed, before cautiously replying. "Baa…?"

Honey's eyes shot open with fear as her collar warmed back up to orange. Within seconds she had one hand fixed around a paintball gun and another around a pair of curling tongues, a thin growl escaping her scowling mouth. "I don't care if I'm a bad mammal this time," she angrily shouted, her sassy accent swinging itself around to its fullest extent. "But if you think that your sheep overlords can help you down here, you'll be in for a big surprise baby!"

Judy was quite simply lost for thought, completely unsure of what to say, so she turned to Nick for assistance. "Help?" was all she managed, but all she got was a chuckle and shrug in response.

"Really…?" he asked teasingly, chuckling slightly as he looked back and forth at the confused bunny and furious honey badger, very much enjoying the awkward situation that was unfolding. "Why should I when this is sooooo funny?"

"I'm mad at you too Slick!" Honey scolded, as her attention shifted to him. "You brought her in here!"

Nick looked back at Honey, rolling his eyes as he smiled and shrugged, his tone becoming soft and gentle as he opened his paws invitingly. "Honeybun…"

"Don't you Honeybun me, Mr!"

Nick's smiled faded along with his patience as he shot out his response. "She saw the Wolf who turned Jorge savage try to tranquilise me. She took a dart, which we have here, for me! She's the only one who can help us prove our innocence, understand?"

Honey paused for a moment, mulling over what she heard, before she dropped her weapons and a warm smile grew on her face, her collar returning to green as her voice switched to its usual chirpy tone. "Okay Slick, you can Honeybun me all you like," she happily said, before giving a downward wave and winking as she added her one condition. "Just as long as she helps us against the sheep!"

Judy, who had been looking around the bunker all this time with curious eyes, picked up with the mention of sheep and a realization overcome her. All the strange decorations, bizarre weapons and other paraphernalia suddenly made sense, although the revelation merely opened up more questions than it answered. "What's with the sheep anyway?" she curiously asked, immediately wincing as the two foxes face palmed hard from resignation, while Honey's collar warmed back up to orange with glee.

"All throughout mammal history," she began, voice brimming with excitement and hands gesturing about wildly as she continued. "Sheep have been conspiring to accumulate power! Communicating via a hive mind you see, cuz the plural and singular are the same for a reason…! They're the ones who make life misery for all of us, because they only care about their master flock! They first went for us preds with the collars, then they'll go for the monotremes and the marsupials and so on till it's just them! Now I started researching this stuff ages ago, and the first definitive proof was five thousand years ago in…"

"This handy explain it all Leaflet!" Clawhauser interrupted, handing over a glossy pamphlet to Judy before looking back at a very disappointed Honey. Her mouth hung wide open and her eyes were wide, before she shook her head and moodily gave a kick at the floor, her opportunity to deliver a vast brimming lecture cruelly dashed. Judy, and a mildly interested Nick, curiously flicked through the small pages of well-presented and neatly ordered information and pictures, both slightly lost for words.

"This stuff's nice Honey, much easier to read than your book," Nick finally said, complementing the grumpy badger, before pausing at her lack of a response.

"Well… I had to do something to get the truth out, seems I'm good at this stuff," Clawhauser proudly announced, smiling at his handy work. Nick smiled and nodded back before pausing, his smile fading and eyes opening in alarm.

"Oh please no… Please no! Not you too!" was all he could manage, before Finnick shot in again.

"You see! You see what Honey does without you to control her! She's even getting to me! My old todd had thirty years to convert me to Islamb and got nowhere, but even I'm starting to dream of these damn sheep after one day!"

"That'll be their brain wave transmitter," replied the unified voices of Honey and Clawhauser. Surprised at their sudden synchronisation, they paused and looked at each other, smiling, before high-fiving while the two foxes, and Judy in tow, grunted with dismay at the display in front of them.

.

"Sooo…" Judy began after the two's display, trying to pull the attention of the room away from anything sheep related. "I know now that there is this crazy wolf after Nick, so I'll be on your side from now on. While I still advise that he turns himself in and lets me look these things up, I'll help him with finding out any evidence in the meantime and won't actively betray him."

"We also have the plate number of the wolf…" Nick reminded her.

"And the address, I did run them," Judy smugly corrected, as she pulled out her notepad and pulled back in confusion. "I can still read it, but the paper has been soaked. It looks like it's been in a lake or…" she paused as she looked down at her still damp attire, pulling bits of moist fabric away from her fur and feeling it peel away. She let go, letting it spring back into position with a wet slap, before she turned back to a nervously blushing Nick with a scowl on her face and a rapidly twitching nose. "Why am I Wet?"

"You know you mentioned the pad looking like it had been in a lake?" came the nervous reply.

"…"

"Well, it wasn't just the notepad."

"…"

"Okay!" Nick said with a huff, before spilling out his response. "I had to get to the rainforest district without being seen, that meant travelling along the rail line in the speeder and jumping off into a lake was the safest exit strategy."

"And what if a train had been on it?" Judy spurted out.

"I'd have moved onto the other track," Nick nonchalantly replied, waving off the angry criticism.

"What if there were trains in both directions!"

"This isn't a cheaply made, spurious action flick Carrots, Sheesh! Besides, I had bigger things to worry about, such as getting away from the Razorbacks."

"RAZORBACKS!"

All eyes in the bunkers turned to see a terrified Honey, arms trembling and mouth open, her collar inches away from a red light.

"It's fine Honey," Nick reassured her, "I gave them the complete slip, they'll…"

"They could sniff us out!"

"I didn't catch their scent, they won't catch mine, it's not as if…." He continued, only for his smug face to collapse with a sudden realization, along with his ears which likewise flopped down. With a nervous gulp, Nick let out a pained "Oh," as his collar loudly beeped up to orange.

"Oh what?" Honey angrily probed, her fierce eyes staring straight at Nick, although his rapidly shifting pupils made direct contact impossible.

"They'll have my prison suit," Nick replied nervously, cradling his shaking head as he continued. "I left it at my old home! They could follow the scent right here!"

"Couldn't Kozlov shelter you?" Finnick piped in.

"I just came from Kozlov's. Even if I get back to the other side of the mountains and explain that I saved him from being captured by them with a bunny in a freezer, he won't be happy."

"Wait a cotton pickin' minute Slick," Honey said in her most resigned and disappointed voice, sounding like she'd almost given up on him. "You give 'em your scent. You screw over Kozlov. They know you're in this district. Sittin' here you could lead them right to us! What on earth you gonna do?"

"We're going to uncover the truth!" All eyes in the room turned to Judy, who was standing up tall and confident, a fiery resolve burning in her eyes. "You three stay here and research the wolf and anything related to him."

"Contact Kozlov too," Nick suggested, his eyes widening and ears perking up with newfound hope. "Explain what happened and why we escaped. While I personally don't want to test it, the fact that we saved him from the Razorbacks must count for something? Two of his friends were turned savage by the wolf so Kozlov should help out, and he might have security footage of him sneaking around. Maybe dust for pawprints!"

"And try and find the source of the dart that I was shot with, there may be others still left at the winter palace," Judy continued.

"But what about Slick?" Honey enquired, her question aimed straight at Judy.

"We're going to pay our wolf friend a visit!"


	23. Chapter 23

_"And they'll meet one day far away,_

_And say, 'I wish I knew you, I wish I knew you before."_

.

**Chapter 23:**

.

The rain had paused for the night, leaving the air clear and open, ready for a ghostly mist to take over the district. The gentle breeze was blowing it across the canopy, its ethereal wisps swirling around the trees and bridges, before they sadly vanished as they floated across the wide-open bay. On colder surfaces here and there, the mist condensed into fresh dew drops which slowly grew in size until they got too heavy. Grown fat, they lazily trickled down the leaves and tree limbs, pooling at the lowered tips before they dripped off. Cutting through the fog like a knife through butter, they fell fast and hit the soft ground far below hard.

Nick noticed a few of these rare drops hit Judy's ears, sending them into a series uncomfortable twitches before they chose to just hunker down against the back of her head. The other lingering drops, still falling all around, created a soft tapping sound that was gentle and calming, unlike the usual roar of a full-blown deluge. The ringing of soft plinks and plonks echoed throughout the mist and fog, and layered itself beneath the many sounds of the sleeping city: The occasional hum and bump of a car travelling along an elevated highway, the sounds of music and TV that filtered out from the many glowing orange windows, the buzzing of insects taking to wing once more and even the clacking of wooden rope bridges swinging in the wind. There was also the sound of cooking food and evening chatter at late night café's, accompanying the sweet smells of food leaking out. With the usual soot and smoke of city life cleaned out by the rain, the smell of fresh air along with the earthy scents of moss and decaying wood dominated, mixing with the food and soothing Nick's sensitive nose alongside the cooling moisture of the air.

While many outsiders thought the mist was natural, it was actually mammal made. Nick's apartment had so many pipes in it because it was at the base of a misting tree, a well camouflaged skyscraper that released the warm water vapour into the air, providing the warm humid climate the district was known for. Even less well known was the fact that the water vapour was actually piped straight up from the city power stations in the nocturnal district, meaning that Nick, to all intents and purposes, lived inside the giant cooling tower of a nuclear reactor.

Such idle thought was dismissed, however, as the two mammals approached a waiting sky tram platform. They would be travelling north east, glancing by the side of the canal district and then rising partway up the mountains that both separated the Rainforest District from Tundra Town and cut off the main city centre districts from the outlying areas such as the Meadowlands and Timberlands. Here the humidity remained at around one-hundred percent, but it would be much cooler, the mist thickening as it flowed up between the steep cliffs which the houses and buildings were perched onto or carved into. According to Judy, who was just hopping onto a cabin that Nick had grabbed, his paws straining as it held it still for a few seconds, this tram should take them within five minutes of the wolf's front door. Nick swung around and jumped onto the open car just as it decided that it couldn't be kept still anymore and darted forwards. He wasn't sure what would happen if they met the wolf, whether Judy's tiny tranquiliser gun or Taser could hold him off, or whether he would tranquilise them, or worse…

When darted, Jorge had seen everyone as his enemy, even his close friends, and that had included mammals bigger and more powerful than him. The prospect of being shot, having his mind burned out and replaced with pure animalistic hate, and then left alone with Judy gave him the shudders. For once in his life, he was actually glad he had his collar on, knowing that it would at least hold him back and give her some time to escape. Remembering that he still had the hateful thing strapped around his neck, however, allowed the niggling itches, nips, chafing and pinching that wearing it caused to flood back to the forefront of his mind, only exacerbated when he shifted the vile device around in an attempt to find a comfortable new position. It was a futile pursuit, although one which twenty-seven years of failure hadn't discouraged him from doing, so Nick took his mind off it by looking out at the view of his home town. Sailing through the thick canopy, their cabin shaking slightly with the tow line as they passed over a support pylon, he noticed that the air had become silent bar the faint twang and rattle of the cable. The giant trees, real or artificial (none could tell), stood still as sentinels to the side as tiny webs of roadways and walkways receded below. He often didn't feel it, but Nick had to admit that, in many ways, his utter dump of a home town was truly stunning and beautiful.

…

"So, what's with the sheep stuff?"

Nick's ears perked up with the sudden question, before he turned his head to look Judy in the eye. "What do you mean, the sheep stuff?" he asked innocently.

Judy just snorted slightly and shrugged. "The crazy sheep stuff your friend is obsessed about. There's got to be a good story behind it."

"There is a story," Nick calmly began, before turning his head and looking away, his eyes resting on an odd far away tree. A pang of sadness flowed through him, his voice tingeing with regret, as he continued. "Just isn't a good one though."

"I don't care."

"Well, how do I put this…" Nick began slowly, carefully mulling over his words as he tried to plan out his response, before chuckling slightly and relaxing, warmly recounting memories of times gone by. "Honey, the sweet girl, was always a bit off. I remember her birthday parties where she'd try to stack the presents into some kind of order before she opened them, because she had to open them all in the right way or something! She only had Finn, Clawhauser and I as friends, plus her family and stuff, so she didn't get many presents. So, one year, Clawhauser came up with the idea of everyone buying her lots of little presents wrapped in different coloured wrapping paper. When she saw all the different colours she was so happy! Like a racoon given the key to a scrapyard, she dived straight in and ordered them into a rainbow! Then she opened them, and then the wrapping paper had to be rainbow ordered as well!"

A slight giggling pricked Nick's ears and, smiling, he turned around to look at Judy. "Sounds just like my brother Flynn," she said, "everything has a reason and everything has an order and if something isn't done logically then it's got to be wrong. Does she do really great drawings from memory? Flynn does."

"No," Nick shrugged, smiling as he eagerly spoke on. "But she's a real whizz with machines and mechanics, kept the rides at Wild Times running through thick and thin! Apart from that, they sound like kindred spirits."

"So," Judy replied, "how does this lead to the sheep stuff?" Her smile faded as she saw Nick's happy face begin to melt away, his eyes and ears drooping from sadness as he slowly blinked. His breath was slow and deep as he steadied himself to go on while his collar let out a loud beep, the light turning up to its orange warning level. Finally, he spoke out, his voice cold and distant.

"Tell me about Flynn's bullying."

Judy pulled back, eyes wide with confusion at the sudden statement. Nick watched her nervously glance around, before she cautiously replied in a very unsure voice. "What do you mean, bullying."

Nick just looked on, his face and tone hardening like stone. "You know what I mean."

Judy tried to shift her gaze away, breaking eye contact, before she solemnly looked down at her feet, fussing the cold metal floor with her paws. Memories from her childhood flooded through her mind, before she sighed and slowly recounted all that had happened to him. "The teasing, the winding up, making things complex for him... He just wanted everything to be nicely ordered and to work nice and well, all to a simple routine he could keep. So many of my other siblings, and many friends, went well out of their way to make it as difficult as possible for him. He'd then get all het up and shouty before either screaming off, crying, begging to an adult… or, after his growth spurt, he'd try to beat them up seeing as all other methods didn't seem to stop them…."

"Now imagine he got electrocuted every time."

Nick looked on as her eyes widened with realization, before carefully reading the other features. Her ears were drooping back and plastering to her head with sadness, her eyelids blinking rapidly as she re-imagined how numerous old memories would play out, all while her mouth trembled with fear. She cradled and stroke one of her paws, the one Finnick had stuck under his collar when it discharged earlier that night, as she remembered the pain. Meanwhile, her eyes darted around as her mind tried to find some justification or explanation to cling onto, and eventually she did. "Didn't the teachers do anything?" she hoarsely asked, as her voice registered as barely more than a whisper.

It was a fair question, but Nick knew the answer well and shook his head with sadness as he shared it, while his voice was laced with bitter sarcasm. "We all know preds are biologically predisposed to violence!'"

"But…"

"A pred-prey bullying incident is always pred started and pred led," Nick interrupted, almost laughing as he spoke, his paws wildly gesturing as he continued. "Even if said pred was outnumbered and outsize…! I mean who ever heard of a meek, innocent prey bullying a vicious chomper!"

Judy backed off and looked away, her nose twitching furiously with a mix of guilt and disgust as she imagined what poor Honey must have gone through.

"I'd often try and help her out earlier on," Nick sadly said, shrugging his shoulders as he did so before carrying on. "I tried to tell the teachers what happened, but I gave up after yet another long detention for 'telling tales'. They knew we were friends, and foxes are 'shifty an untrustworthy' so why consider anything I said as anything more than a lie?" Pausing, Nick let a depressed huff escape his mouth as he leant down on the guardrail. He spotted Judy open her mouth, preparing to speak, but he stopped her with a quick show of his outstretched paw. "Even inside classrooms, or under teacher's noses, they all found ways of winding up Honey. Half the time, all that would happen was that she would be scolded or worse for getting buzzed and crying, 'interrupting the lesson' or 'getting too worked up'. Us boys all coped with the collars and stuff by becoming cynical and bitter, closing ourselves in and never letting them see that they got to us. But poor Honeybun, she just couldn't manage it, and knowing that they doubled and triple their efforts against her. And the teachers and books and such, they all said that these things only went off if you were a really bad mammal, so logically she must be the absolute worst, nastiest, most evil one in the school. Heck, the city!"

"Were any of these bully's sheep?" Judy quietly suggested, with Nick responding via a widening grin and gently nodding head, his green collar light bobbing up and down with it.

"So there's that detective mind kicking in!" he sarcastically replied, "Previously I thought it was only obsessed about carrots and capturing me!"

Judy shot back an annoyed scowl, and an equally sarcastic reply. "The first thing is personal. Whose fault is the second, anyway?"

"Yours truly!" Nick proudly began, before his fun tone withered away, becoming sad again as he returned back to the topic on hand. "And yes, a big gang were, and a real nasty bunch at that. Teasing, beating, stealing, tail stomping… scruff carrying… even for your average prey they were awful. Finnick and I escaped the worst, but Honey and Clawhauser didn't. Benny wanted to be a sprinter when he was little, but his collar ruined that dream, something that they loved to rub in whenever they scruff carried him around as if he was a two-year-old cub. He got so fed up of being left so powerless and humiliated, he vowed to eat so much they couldn't pick him up, and to be frank it worked like a charm! But with Honey it was merciless, and in response she became obsessed with the idea that these guys were the cause of the problems, some way of shifting the blame and guilt about her 'naughtiness'.… an obsession that just spiralled way too far out of control."

"Collar..."

Nick's muzzle twinged with concern as he glanced down, picking up the soft orange light tied tight around his neck, before chuckling as he looked back over at Judy and spoke out, his voice adopting a whimsical but bitterly salty tone. "Once more, the prey wants to ban empathy from my life!"

"You know," Judy tentatively began, "she and you aren't that different."

"Oh. Really…?" Nick loudly responded, lazily rolling his eyes as he did so.

"But you are! She doesn't like sheep; you don't like prey."

"Fluff!" came his very dismissive reply, "she believes that a sheep assassinated J F Kennedneigh because, and I quote, 'there were tell-tale graze marks on the grassy knoll!' Meanwhile I, on the other hand, acknowledge the fact that prey mammals love to screw over us preds to cheer themselves up when they've had a bad day! Or to put the cherry on the top of a great day! Or just to fill in the bits of time, here and there, of a mediocre day! And now I'm going to have to stop speaking so that my prey mandated collar doesn't buzz me!"

"I've only ever seen them as a necessary evil…" Judy indignantly replied, gesturing to herself as she defended herself.

"You've got that half right…" he quietly muttered in response.

"Listen Nick," she slowly began, "no prey mammals 'get high' on putting these things on, okay? We just want to feel safe, so please don't hate us all, OK?"

"Fine…" Nick grunted. "I don't hate all Prey mammals, I mean I'm a decent mammal! I have exceptions…"

"You don't mean that, do you?" came Judy's accusing retort, Nick's eyes opening with alarm in response.

"I could give you names!"

"Like…?"

"Well, Gazelle for a start…"

"An A-list pop-star with Bengal and Siberian Tigers as backup dancers who leads the anti-collar movement?" Judy said incredulously, "give me a real salt of the earth prey mammal."

"Uhhh…" was all Nick could manage, straining his synapses as he tried to think of someone else.

"See!"

"I'm thinking…"

"You shouldn't need too."

"I don't. I have other names, I just don't want to say them."

"Because they don't exist!"

"They do!"

"Spill them then!"

"I don't want to!"

"You can't! They don't exist!"

"I can! You'll just never live it down!"

"Are you trying for another Zap? Give me a name, right here, right now!"

"Fine... Judy Hopps! There, said it, done and dusted!" and, with the end of that, Nick crossed his arms tight across his chest and looked away, staring intently into the scenery and breathing deeply as he waited for his collar to cool down. His gaze was fixed and piercing, as if it were trying to beam out the dangerous anger simmering in his head, and almost nothing could pull it back.

"You don't hate me?"

 **Almost**  nothing….

"I… I don't like you that much, don't get ahead of yourself or above your station," Nick warned sternly, before his voice mellowed slightly. "But… if it weren't for you, I'd have no idea on how to clear my name." He turned around to look Judy in the eye, his emerald meeting her amethyst as a warm smile grew across his muzzle. "I'd love things to be simple, and for me to hate you, but I think what I did at Kozlov's shows that's sadly not the case. The simple fact that you're helping me now, rather than turning me in, also helps. I mean, I hoped someone would, but it was a fool's hope. I never truly believed."

"But I chased you," she pointed out.

"You were a police detective, I was an escaping fugitive," the fox replied with a shrug. "If I'm being fair, I can't really hold it against you, can I?"

"I only helped you after I saw the wolf trying to dart you!"

"Most mammals would rather not believe their eyes instead of believing a fox. They would still try to go after me… but you…"

"That is setting the bar very low," Judy murmured. "and I insulted and belittled you a lot, something not part of my duty."

"Well, okay. You aren't perfect. I mean, you do have a Fox problem…"

Judy's wide and curious eyes went apathetically half shut at that statement, before she murmured out an annoyed request for clarification. "Fox problem?"

Nick just looked back and shrugged. "You know? Fox problem. First day we met at that Ice cream vendor, you were obviously scared of me. You were decked out in Fox-Away stuff, you insulted my entire species by implying we were crap at one of the few 'good' things we are renown for being good at. But it's okay, you just have a natural fox problem. In your DNA or something. Might get you a collar for it, just to be safe."

"It's not natural… it's learned," Judy calmly responded, piquing Nick's interest while she looked away, blushing with guilt.

"Mind giving me that story?"

"… Sure, why not? It was back in the burrows, this special place on the very edge city. For bunnies who work there but who still want big houses, easy countryside access and the chance to work on farms. I was eight, and I was in a special play about what you wanted to be when you grew up."

.

.

- **16 years ago** -

.

A loud round of applause was ringing out, proud parents and friends looking on as three young mammals stood up on the stage. At the forefront stood a young rabbit, with a young lamb to her left and a cougar to her right. While they were all standing tall and proud, in identical clothing, it was clear to anyone watching just who was taking on the lead.

"We live in a city, where anyone can be anything!" little Judy proudly announced, as a background painting scrolled down. It showed a rough painting of Zootopia, the wavy outline of the largest buildings showing clear while the name was proudly written below. With a happy smile on her face, Judy held out her arms to show off the scene, before tucking them in as a cardboard box was slowly lowered onto her, and the others, from the ceiling. There was a rough fumbling and shaking, each box jiggling about from the activity within, before the voice of the lamb called out.

"Instead of being a meek prey, I can grow up to be, an Astronaut!" she announced, pulling the box off her head to reveal the homemade costume. The sound of a gypsy whistle accompanied her, strangely oscillating up and down as a small bobcat back stage played.

"Instead of being a vicious predator hunting for meek prey," came the sound of the cougar as he peeled off his box, "I can hunt for tax avoidance, I can be an actuary!" He stood up proud, a pen in hand while wearing what looked like a birthday suit of some kind. He was smiling, but nervous. He looked around to his left, the collar around his neck orange like it had been all throughout the performance, but a quick nod and smile from the lamb seemed to reassure him. He turned back to face the front, smile now firm, as his collar stepped back down into green. The lamb, meanwhile, looked down with a hint of annoyance at the bobcat, wanting to know why her friend didn't have any backing track. The bobcat just smiled and nervously laughed, shrugging with his paws out as if he were trying to ask, 'well what sound would you play?' The lamb's annoyed scowl twitched away as she looked on confused, before she turned back to face the front. She supposed he was right, what was the soundtrack for an 'actuary'? (Although, she was certain that it wasn't the beep of a collar.) Whatever the case, all attention was snapped back to the final box, as Judy spoke out.

"And when I grow up, I want to be…. A police officer!"

There was a gasp from the crowd as Judy threw the box off her head and stood tall, effortlessly wearing a homemade police uniform replete with a cap and a badge. Backstage, the bobcat brought out a cassette player and immediately hit play, the exciting sounds of a cop show theme tune blaring out. The entire watching crowd erupted into applause, although that of a portly grey bunny and a chocolate coloured one beside her was certainly slower and more nervous. However, there were some who's applause, rather than being sincere or impressed, was slow and sarcastic while accompanied by a mocking laugh. That 'some' mainly comprised of one individual, a portly and uncollared fox dressed in dungarees who was sitting up near the front.

"Ya hear that Travis?" he laughed out in his thick southern accent, roughly elbowing the snickering black-footed weasel to his left while pointing his finger straight at Judy. "A Bunny Cop! Just about the dumbest thing I ever heard!"

His laughs didn't go unnoticed, as an unfazed Judy peered down at him and strolled forward, leaning over the stage's edge and peering into his eyes. "It may seem dumb to certain backwards mammals…" she announced to the entire crowd, before focussing her entire anger on her detractor. "I'm looking at you Gideon Grey!" She continued as the fox's ears picked up at the mention of his name. Unfazed, he merely feigned mock outrage with a cursory shake of his paw as Judy continued her lecture. "But we live in a city where it's who you are inside that counts! Not who you are outside."

The crowd erupted in applause, with several boos and hisses, along with mutterings of 'chomper', sounding out as Gideon shrugged and skulked out of the tent with his friend in tow. Judy looked on beaming as she, and the rest of the performers, took a bow.

.

"Judy, ever wondered how your Mum and me got to be so darn happy?" the brown bunny carefully asked, pricking Judy's attention.

"Nope," she shrugged, as she continued onwards, hopping and skipping through the main thoroughfare of the farmer's market come festival, flanked on both sides by her parents.

"Well, I'll tell ya' how," Judy's father continued, "we gave up on our dreams and we settled, right, Bon?"

The grey bunny smiled and looked over at her husband. "Oh yes," she eagerly agreed, "That's right Stu, we settled hard."

"See, that's the beauty of complacency, Jude. If you don't try anything new, you'll never fail."

Still jumping along a dividing line of hay bales, Judy paused for a moment, mulling over the idea, before she shrugged it off. "I like trying, actually!" she eagerly announced, picking up speed before leaping to her side. She kicked off and ran up a wooden fence, before jumping out and somersaulting, effortlessly landing back on her two feet with a flourish.

Bonnie, who had been watching the snippet of parkour with a small smile on her face, shook her head slightly as she took over. "What you father means, Hon… it's going to be difficult- impossible, even- for you to become a police officer."

"There's never been a bunny cop," Stu piped in, nodding with agreement.

"I guess I'll just have to be the first one!" Judy announced, completely unfazed by her parent's concern. "Because I'm gonna make the world a better place!"

Stu looked on proudly, a muted chuckle escaping his breath, before something caught his eye. Turning around, his wife following him, he halted and placed his paws firmly on his hips. Staring up with pride, he laid his eyes upon the bustling farmer's stall standing in front of him. Freshly painted, stacked full of farm produce and with a giant sign bearing the families name to boot, he looked on at his legacy before glancing back at his daughter. "Or… heck, you wanna talk about making the world a better place, no better way to do it than becoming a carrot farmer."

"Yes!" Bonnie eagerly agreed, "Your dad and I, and your two hundred and seventy-five brothers and sisters, we're changing the world one carrot at a time."

"Amen to that. Carrot farming is a noble profession!"

"You get it, honey?" Bonnie asked, "I mean, it's great to have dreams."

"Yeah, just as long as you don't believe in them too much," her husband finished as he turned around to face Judy, only to find she wasn't there. Dumbstruck, he looked around, left and right, trying to catch a glimpse of her. "Jude…?" he called out, before turning to his wife. "Where the heck did she go?"

.

Peeking out from behind a stall, Judy's gaze hardened as she observed the scene in front of her. Her lamb friend, and one of her sisters, stood cowering as Gideon, his friend Travis in tow, marched up with his claws and teeth bared. "I wanna make this easy," he drawled out, "gimme your tickets and you go home safe and sound!" The sheep meekly replied, grabbing the pink paper strips from their pockets and handing them over, Gideon thrusting them in his breast pocket.

"Or maybe you'll back off Gideon!" Judy defiantly shouted, marching over to plant herself between Gideon and the two girls. Although she was three and a bit years older than him, the portly fox was still stronger and better armed, Judy only coming up to his chin.

"Aw look! Isn't it the dumb Bunny Cop. Hop along, you've got as much chance of being a cop as I do!"

"Just shows how much you're wasting your life then, doesn't it?" Judy said back, smiling as she walked forward, invading his personal space and pushing her head up beneath his muzzle.

"You don't get it do you? I'm a mean ol' chomper who could go and rage on you at any moment! This is what everyone everywhere wants me to be, an' nuthin' else! Good thing I'm good at it. So Scram!" Suddenly he leapt forwards towards her, teeth bared as he tried to scare her off while his paws planted themselves on her shoulder and throwing her to the floor, only to receive a painful punch to his muzzle in return. Yelping, he stumbled back and rested his paw on the affected skin, sniffing slightly as he felt the tenderness beneath. Whatever vulnerability he had quickly evaporated as he turned hatefully towards Judy, a loud growl escaping his bared teeth while his right arm shot out, its sharp claws maliciously extending. "You just never know when to give up, do you?" was all he said, before his claws sliced down, the two cowering sheep girls screaming with horror. Pulling his arm back, inspecting the red tipped claws as he sheathed them, he proudly looked on at his handy work and smiled. "I want you to remember this, every time you think you can be anything more than a dumb Bunny!" he lectured, and with that he turned and strolled off, leaving his victim lying on the floor.

"Judy! Are you okay?" one of the lambs desperately asked, running over to the little bunny lying on the floor.

"Don't listen to that monster, he needs a good zapping," the other one said.

"Or the electric chair. Bring it back for him and all his friends."

Both lambs paused as Judy rose. Her police costume ruffled and three painful red gashes cut across his cheek, she looked up and smiled. "Gideon's right about one thing," she said as she held up her paw, opening it to reveal the tickets in them. "I don't know when to quit!"

.

.

**-The Present day-**

.

"Well, that's two other mammals who agree with me on that point," Nick chuckled as he looked down at Judy, who was leaning back on the sky cars wall, carefully fussing her cheek. A sudden realisation hit him and, getting down onto his knees so that he was lower than her, he tenderly outstretched an arm towards her. "Mind if I?" he carefully asked, and with a quick nod for confirmation Nick proceeded. His paw slowly touched her cheek and pushed the fur away, revealing the three thin lines beneath. "That must have hurt… Did he do much else?"

"Not really, no…" Judy slowly replied. "He got his collar a few weeks later and he didn't harm anyone since."

"Did it make you feel safe?"

"… Yes," came a cautious reply.

Nick merely shrugged at it. "No shame..."

"Really?" Judy asked, surprised.

"Yeh. I often thought that our bullies deserved a taste of a collar. But… to be fair, they needed to be punished for what they did. A collar would have given them the telling off their parents and teachers should have done but never did… and then a whole lot else on top that which would go too far… What happened to this Gideon, anyway?"

.

.

**-13 years ago-**

.

A young Judy was lying down aimlessly on her bed, a crime novel gripped in her paws. Carefully scanning through the pages, her eyes widened as they passed over something. Folding the paper down, she hopped off and wandered across the small room. There was no natural light, the room built deep underground, so a bulb cast an orange glow across the many police themed posters that hung about. Carefully noting something down on pad of paper, she carefully pinned it up on a sprawling board of notes and theories, all linked together with coloured yarn. Stepping back, Judy tried to ponder the enigma for a bit, her gaze shifting and moving, before a knock and a call caught her attention.

"Judy, you have a letter!" came the sound of Stu Hopps as Judy, surprised by the sudden change of events, went off to let him in.

.

Settling onto her bed, bouncing slightly on the springy mattress, Judy tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Her eyes opened wide with shock before she began reading it, the voice inside her head not her own but that of Gideon Grey.

.

_'Dear Mrs Judy… Its Gideon._

_I know you don't like me, I get that. But I wanna ask you for some help, please._

_I know I was a major Jerk when I was younger, I was just scared and dumb, that was all I guess. My old Pa says that no-one will help us Foxes, so we should just settle at the bottom and not dream and instead survive, but I didn't want that so I hurt people for fun and got angry. But now my dumb collar really hurts me bad instead, so I dunno what to do. I hear you still haven't given up like I asked ya too, and I don't wanna have to be a crook like others think I'll grow up to be (that dumb teacher running the play said she asked you many times to be a carrot farmer, and you said no.) I just dunno what to do and I need some help finding it. It's not like my teachers will help me, I just can't wrap my head around sums and science and stuff so they leave me by myself alone. I hear you still like to make the world a better place. So could ya help make it a better place for a dumb Fox who doesn't want to go to the zoo?_

_Please, please, pretty please and icing sugar on top…_

_Yours Seriously…._

_Mr Gideon._

_P.S. I'm waiting down at the canal'_

.

Judy slowly put the letter down and paused, before hopping over to a draw and retrieving a small utility belt, stocked up with handcuffs, a plastic baton, a flashlight, a small canister of Fox away and a Fox Taser. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to steady herself, she turned and walked out of the door. By the time she reached the canal, cautiously walking along the towpath, it was almost dusk. Quietly walking along, past worn narrow boats filled with otter or water vole sized apartments, she paused as she saw a portly figure sitting beside a bridge up ahead. Glumly hunched over, he was idly skipping stones on the water while a green light shone from his red neck. Judy saw his nose twitch slightly as he turned to face her, smiling slightly as the light turning orange.

.

They tried many things over the next few days, Judy carefully instructing Gideon, all the while keeping a large and safe distance between her and him. At first, she tried fishing, although a whole day of the two waiting for a single bite while freezing rain lashed down discouraged that. Painting came next, but after Judy called out too many green foxes and red lawns and trees, he gave up with a huff. Soon Gideon was walking from door to door, pulling a cart with a small lawnmower on it. Yet door after door slammed shut in his face. The only mammal to give him any attention was a blind old Rhino, although Gideon was immediately outbid by a goat who would mow the lawn for free, in return for the three days' worth of food it would give his family. A lemonade stand ended equally badly as he stood panting in the heat, glumly watching as thirsty mammals wandered past him to a prey run stall next door, even though he had no queues and a lower price. A jumble sale came about, but ended immediately when a teenage zebra colt jogged past, grabbing a decent radio from the top. Shocked, Gideon charged after him leaving Judy to wander in from afar and look over the stall. There was a  **buzz**  and a flash, and Judy was left flinching as she looked on.

.

Back at the canal, Judy wandered down the path and saw Gideon sitting in his usual place, skipping stones as his feet slowly dangled in the murky brown water, claws pricking the surface and sending out ripples. Sniffing her out, he looked over before standing up, slowly plodding towards her with his head held glumly down. She pulled back slightly as he approached, his broad tall figure still dwarfing her, before watching him sit down by the side of the path. Glumly looking down, he weakly opened a small bag and fished out a Cornish pasty, thrusting it towards Judy as she carefully approached.

"This one's raspberry and cream," he mentioned as she took it, before fishing out one of for himself. "Potato and bug…"

"Don't you want to save it for later today?"

"Why bother!?" he bitterly grunted, before looking away and spitting hard on the floor. Judy flinched back and her paw reached for her fox repellent, quite naturally since his collar had gone up to orange, before the fox in question glumly continued, his voice quivering as he spoke. "Two weeks and all I still am is a dumb fox! I ain't even smart or sneaky, not that anyone cares… I suppose Pa was right, the world needs someone at the bottom and that someone better be me!" A quiet sob rang out, while a stray tear formed in one of his eyes. Turning to face her, his mouth hanging open slightly and trembling, he sighed and opened his paws out, gesturing towards Judy. "Heck, you even reached for your fox stuff! Why not make it simple and stuff, just arrest me now and be done!" He swung his body around, so that his back was turned to face Judy, and his paws weakly thrust out behind him and ready for cuffing. Turning his head, a trembling and moist eye tracked Judy before looking down at the handcuffs in her belt and then down at his own outstretched paws. It then slammed shut, tense and clenching as it waited for the inevitable, as Gideon's head slowly turned around to face forwards again, hanging down in defeat as he awaited his fate.

"Gideon…" Judy began to say, still hanging back out of concern as she idly took a bite out of the pastry. She paused immediately, thinking about it as she chewed before eagerly biting down again. The fox peered over his shoulder, his eyes widening as she ate, before turning his body around and smiling.

"Do you… like that?" he softly asked, before receiving a furious flurry of nods in reply. "I… I made that," he added on, his voice regaining confidence.

.

A few days later, Gideon was handing out free samples to a line of factory workers exiting their plant for lunch. The day after that, he began charging and received a small, but healthy sum of money. That sum started to grow and grow with each day, and so too did the grin on the fox's mouth. Finally, a few months later, Judy received a second knock on her bedroom door. Opening it, Stu leant in chuckling and handed her a large box, before giving her a sly salute and carefully retreating out. Carefully opening it up, Judy smiled as she saw the carrot cake inside, orange icing spelling out 'thank you' on top.

.

.

**-The Present day-**

.

"He's still doing okay, last I heard. Nothing special, but he earns enough to keep him going."

"But through all that," Nick began, looking up as he pondered, "you still didn't really trust him, did you?"

"No," Judy confessed. "I did not."

"But you trust me?"

Judy looked up and smiled. "A little, I think. We're working on it, that's for certain. I'm a lot better than the first time we met. Back then…"

"Let me guess? Going into the city centre, you didn't know any other fox well. So, when you saw me…"

"I guessed you were up to no good," Judy guiltily shrugged. "Although I should have known that your collar would have at least made you safe, unlike when he was young…"

Nick nodded in agreement, before pausing. "Judy?" he began.

"Yes."

"I know you said that you thought the collar made him safe..."

"More like safe-ish, looking back," she said sadly.

"Do you think the collar made him good?"

"Well yes, why wouldn't I?"

"Maybe all he needed was help and someone to talk to," Nick idly suggested, "Collar or no collar."

Nick watched Judy pause and mull over the suggestion, before nodding in agreement. "I suppose, maybe without the collar, his parents wouldn't be so downbeat. I mean, it's not as if my parents put themselves fully behind my dreams."

"Did anyone support your dreams? What about society, others and all that?" Nick asked, remembering all the people who'd done their bit to thrust him down and push him back, telling him that he was nothing more than an untrustworthy stereotype.

"Well, along with my parents, there were…" Judy whimsically said, pausing as she began to sift through her memories, before idly listing off all her discouragers. "Siblings, cousins, aunts, uncle, grandparents, friends, career advisors, teachers, fellow students, fellow candidates, underlings, superiors, the press, neighbours, the little lady who makes my coffee each morning, a number of the perps I caught and even a dangerously sarcastic fugitive… It's enough to make me wish I wasn't a bunny sometimes!" Her gaze shifting off into the distance, currently shrouded in thick cloud as they rose up. However, it was lifted up as she felt a gentle paw on her shoulder.

"You know, I often wished that I wasn't a fox. I'd be perfectly willing to swap!"

"In your dreams…" Judy chuckled.

"So is the place where we don't have to wish these things…" Nick replied sadly as his other paw rose up to fuss with his collar, slowly nudging it about. "Where we can be happy with what we are… where what's inside is what counts, not the outside…" He huffed and sighed, looking onwards as they finally exited the clouds, rising above the white rolling sea of mist and sailing forward, with the exit platform fast approaching up ahead.

"You know Slick," came a soft voice, while a small paw gently laid itself across his own. "I don't know when to give up…"

A small smile grew across Nick's mouth as he opened the sky car door and stepped out, Judy in tow. "And I was told to never stop dreaming…"

As the gondola carried on with its journey, its cable rattling as it continued forwards, and Nick and Judy wandered off together into a street that carved its way through the rock, a quiet peace fell over the cliffside of the cloud forest district creating a perfect soundtrack to the tranquil vista of the glowing city up ahead. Everything was serene as the two vanished out of view, until the familiar horn of the Gerbil Jerk's car shattered the peace.

 _Beep! Beep!_...

There was a second's pause, filled with the sound of a roaring engine, before Nick screamed out in pain. "Ow!"

_Beep!_

**ZAP!**

After a moment or two of pained grunting, Nick spoke up again. "… just so you know…" he said snidely, "those two Jerk's aren't exceptions!"


	24. Chapter 24

_"Confidential information, it's a diary,_

_This is my investigation, it's not a public enquiry."_

.

**Chapter 24:**

.

"This place gives me the creeps…"

"You can say that again," Judy quietly replied, nodding with agreement. Up here on the mountainous borderlands, Tundratown less than a mile away, the cool air was as humid as was possible and clung to both mammals' fur. Walking down a narrow alleyway, hewn out of a gulley between two hulking bits of mountain that rose up on either side, Nick's feet claws rapped and tapped loudly on the roughly laid cobblestones as he strolled on. Reverberating off the moist and slippery road, the sounds echoed out, bouncing again and again off the moss covered walls before receding away into silence. Either side of the two solitary mammals lay locked door after locked door, along with small or thickly barred windows that were jet black, refusing to reveal what lay inside. The only illumination came from a street light here and there, in each case said light being a glowing white discharge lamp, hanging bare from a bracket as its stark light shone out and made the mist glow eerily. Wading through the neck high (Nick's neck, not Judy's) fog, the ghostly white vapour clinging onto the ground like a sickness, the two companions paused as they came to the top of a flight of steps. Looking forward, past their long shadows which stretched off into the distance, they both gulped from nerves at the same time.

"That is, where he lives right?" Nick nervously asked, taking his time to speak while a stray paw made its way up to his tie, straightening it before running down it.

"Unfortunately… yes," Judy replied, before shrugging and leading him on.

Ahead of them, past the windows of the last house, the staircase dropped down to a steep precipice. Far ahead of them, across a shaky rope bridge, lay two hulking rock stacks. The smaller one, to the right, looked like a giant thumb while the one to the left, a bit higher but far thicker, looked like a raised palm. Both stood above steep cliffs and were separated from each other by a narrow chasm. The worn and carved rocks were pitted with the windows and doors of apartments while a spider's web of electricity and telephone lines radiated out, like hair standing up on end during a thunder storm. There was some colour, at least, from the orange glow of lights to the occasional red, green or blue neon sign, but it was pale and sickly rather than bright or bold. The stone monolith itself was an earthy brown, with grasses and moss covering much of the structure that wasn't vertical cliff, while a dozen or so cold black fire escapes covered that which was. Carefully moving across the bridge, the fine details of the buildings coming into view, Nick squinted as he focussed his eyes on the spot where the bridge was anchored to the left hand tower.

"Carrots," he nervously whispered, catching the Bunny's ear. "We'll be spotted if we go in the front way. Any bright ideas?"

"Apart from you hunkering down, I got nothing."

Nick merely gave an annoyed snort as he stretched up and stood tall, puffing out his chest and increasing the pace and power of his stride.

Looking on in disbelief at his change in behaviour, Judy slammed her paw into her forehead as she demanded an explanation. "What are you doing?"

"Making myself look like anything but a wanted con-fox" Nick casually replied, shrugging as he did so before refocusing his gaze forwards once more. "There's a sign mentioning a back door," he observed, before his ears pricked at the sound of the front doors opening. Before his collar even had a chance to beep up to orange, Nick was darting forwards and grabbing Judy in his arms. Leaping off the end of the bridge, he sprinted across the front lawn and wrapped himself into a hidden alcove; hand still planted tight over Judy's mouth, as a goat strolled out and began walking across the bridge.

"Very un-con fox like…" Judy quietly muttered through Nick's paw, gaining his attention as he let her go. The two scanned around, before heading off. Wandering around the side of the building, their path getting narrower and narrower as they went higher and higher, the mood became tense enough to cut with a knife. The only sound present was the soft wail of the wind, with the mossy ground muffling Nick and Judy's footsteps as the path they were following came to an abrupt end, with nothing but a terrifying drop in front of them.

"So much for a back door Slick…" Judy said, looking up to look him in the eye only to find he wasn't there. Within a second she was frantically scanning around, desperately trying to find him, until her eyes rested on a tiny green light in the midst of a black crevice, where the silhouette of an arm waving her on was sticking out to the side. Running over, she reached Nick before carefully leading him down the passageway he'd found. There was a sudden, soft click, and Nick flinched back with pain, his arms up and crossed to protect his sensitive eyes from the intense, burning light now shining out from a motion controlled lamp. As his pupils shrunk down, his focus returned and he saw a brick and concrete wall up ahead, with a thick wooden door inset. Judy, approaching it, pushed it open before carefully scanning the interior out. Relaxing, her shoulders and ears dropping down from their tense, alert, positions, she turned back to wave Nick in. Cautiously following her, Nick skulked in before hiding himself beside the nearest wall. Judy by his side, they both looked up to see the gaping cavern that they had just entered. Lit by a small opening on the roof, the wide open cave was practically bedecked in stripes thanks to the layers of access balconies that were carved into it. Peeking up over the guardrail lip, Nick's gaze following hers as he carefully pushed his muzzle through her ears, Judy peered up to an apartment two layers above them. Like the numerous examples throughout the complex, a small veranda was separated from the walkway, providing the resident with a semi-private balcony area, while a narrow door and two small windows lay behind. Sticking out from its neighbours, its windows jet black in a sea of warm orange, it held a certain special significance.

"That's his place…" Judy stated, as she pushed Nicks head off of hers and walked on.

.

Quickly opening and closing the front door, Nick and Judy took their time to observe the apartment in front of them. Hewn out of the rock, the walls and ceilings were bulbous and flowing, almost organic in a way. It would have been very attractive, had the owner not slung tacky wallpaper over them all. The décor would have been nice had it been on a flat surface, but the roses and fronds of lavender were awkwardly crumpled up, the mishmash of colours coming out as a grungy mess when illuminated by the pale moonlight which was slanting in from a window around a corner where the corridor shot to the right. The rest of the space, such as the flagstone floor, the well-made wooden furniture and a variety of pictures at least attempted to bring some taste to the residence, although it was arguably a futile effort.

"If you go right Nick, I'll go left," Judy quietly suggested, with Nick nodding in agreement before following the corridor around. Judy, meanwhile, turned left and entered a large kitchen come living space. The appliances, built for a larger mammal, dwarfed her with the stove, kettle resting on top, looming over her as she passed. With the fridge in front of her and door behind, Judy had the kitchen worktop to her left, complete with an oven, sink, cabinets and a host of unwashed dishes and cutlery. To her right, meanwhile, lay more cabinets with what looked like a well-stocked spice rack positioned up high. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust which clung to the walls and floor regardless of where she went. Without Nick's night vision or keen sense of smell, Judy was half blind in the poor light conditions, a point suddenly proven as she walked straight onto a plate, tipping it up. She jumped back in panic and the sudden sound of ceramic on stone, her eyes closing shut and arms going into a panicked flurry as it fell back into position, letting out another piercing clatter as it rattled about before finally falling still. The odd silence of the place returned and, after a second or so, Judy relaxed and picked up her phone only to sigh in disappointment as it failed to turn on. After shaking it out of frustration (and merely receiving a few drops of escaping water for her effort), she wandered over to the fridge. Opening it up, she let the light shine out and illuminate the room, allowing her to turn and view it all before pausing, and nervously looking back as she registered that something wasn't right. The fridge was bare bones, to say the least, with nothing in there that was out of the ordinary. Several packs of fresh premium grass, a pot of leaves, some salad… it didn't look to dissimilar to how Judy had stocked her fridge on occasions, although she of course had a healthy supply of carrots to boot. Shaking her head with confusion, still unable to sense what was bugging her, Judy grabbed a nearby business card that was lying about, the name and number for some random bar called the Cloven Hoof printed on it, before she looked up to see the spice rack. Except it wasn't a spice rack, nor any sort of food or culinary collection. All the canisters were pink, with a rounded end and the image of several cartoon animals beneath a red cross. Fumbling down at her belt, Judy grabbed her Fox-repellent, the small canister almost identical to those up above, only with a cartoon Fox rather than an assortment of Predators (although she noticed several cans of full blown Fox-Repellent, specially formulated mess up Foxes vastly more than the regular stuff did). Placing her can back down in its place; Judy shifted her weight onto one leg as she brought her hand up to tap her chin. Why did this wolf guy have so many canisters of Predator repellent? Why did he go out of his way to buy the Fox stuff as well? Why did the fridge still seem off? Whatever she was thinking, it was soon replaced by a sudden urgency as she heard a scream from another room.

"Judy! You want to see this!"

Slamming the fridge door shut behind her, Judy ran forward down the corridor. Passing the right hand turn she'd seen from the door, it turned right again, and she passed by the large outside window with the full moon's light still pouring in before she came to a barren bathroom.

"Nick, where are you?"

"In the bedroom, over here," he quickly replied. Looking over, Judy saw a large door frame, illuminated by the meagre light entering from the front window, with the outline of Nick's head, along with the green light of his collar, leaning out from it. Tentatively stepping over to stand beside him, Judy's eyes widened with what she saw.

The bedroom itself, at first, almost looked ordinary. The walls and ceiling were flat; a double bed sticking out from the storage cupboard's built into the right hand wall while a chair, table and full height lamp rested against the left hand one. Even the mixture of papers and magazine articles strewn across the floor seemed ordinary given the state of the rest of the building. But what wasn't ordinary was the massive board fixed to the far wall. Previously hidden behind a pair of curtains, it was now open for all to view. It took Judy a moment to register what it was, although it seemed incredibly familiar, but then it hit her like a brick. It was the city, the entire metro area of Zootopia laid out in front of her, with two dozen or so pictures pinned by the side and linked up to the points by string threads.

"Maybe I should introduce Honey to this guy," Nick mused to himself as he gently stroked a finger down his tie and twiddled with the end, before being pushed back by Judy, who was scanning the entire scene and taking it in.

"Don't you know what this is, Nick?" she urgently asked.

Nick paused, face scowling up with thought as he tried to find a pattern, only for his eyes to open wide as he fixed his gaze on something. Mouth open and trembling, while his ears fell back and collar went up to orange, Nick wandered forward with his hand weakly outstretched. The tip of his finger rested itself against a small picture of a red Fox, before it traced the attached line to an industrial area, by the western side of the main bay bridge.

"This… this is a map of all those who went Savage Judy," was all he could manage, as he turned back to face her, "I was targeted, he's behind it all. If Jorge hadn’t been there as a better target, I’d be…"

"Did you find anything else?" Judy asked after a moment of silence as she wandered forward, trying to pour over every last intricate detail.

"Before I pulled back the curtains and found that, I was glancing through these papers and stuffing interesting ones in my pocket… a lot of them are stock reports of business news, I mean someone's got to be…" Nick paused, sniffing the air, before his eyes widened with horror. "It's him!" was all he could say, before the click of the door opening sounded out. Eyes meeting for a second, the two mammals bolted back into the bathroom and into the corridor, only for Nick to slam to a halt and grab Judy by her arm. Pulling her around, he grabbed a nearby window and pulled it up, before squeezing out and shuffling onto the narrow ledge. Standing on a thin ledge of rock, shielded from view from the window but seemingly trapped above a deadly fall, Judy turned to Nick.

"Why couldn't you sniff him earlier…" she whispered accusingly.

"He has a weird scent; it almost smells a bit like sheep. He must have picked it up living here… whatever it was, it was masked until it was too late!" he seethed back, before stealing a quick glance down at his orange collar and then returning to look back up.

Judy pulled back slightly and looked away, quietly apologising as she began to creep back towards the window. "I'm sorry…" was all she said, before carefully peaking back into the corridor, her ears pricking up as she heard someone speak in the bedroom in a heavy Texan accent.

"Now you listen here Pal! It's not my fault those Razorbacks shut down the tunnels for three hours damn-nabit! But now that I'm finally back home, maybe you can tell me why I still haven't received my second shipment of these things! …. It isn't any of your business knowing what I need them for Mister; just get those Night-Howlers ready! …. No, I haven't had a chance to test batch two yet, but …. What part of no questions don't you understand! Good day, Sir!"

The sounds of flicking papers and huffing filled the air as Nick and Judy crept back inside, the former landing with some force on the stone floor, a small thump ringing out.

"Quiet, you don't want him to hear us?" Judy whispered, as they wandered around the corner, the front door just ahead.

"I'm just amazed he hasn't smelled us yet," Nick quietly replied, before his head pricked with surprise. Wandering over to a small table, while Judy carried on and began slowly opening the door, he picked up a loose tame collar in his paw and stuffed it into one of his brimming inner suit pockets, smiling as he did so before cracking a quick joke. "Where's the Tame, Mr Wolf?"

Judy, standing in the open doorway, couldn't help but groan; only for a piercing shriek to send her cowering down, covering her sensitive ears. Nick, suffering too from the verbal onslaught, looked out to see a terrified young Ram looking on and pointing at him. His collar shooting up to orange with panic, Nick looked down at Judy and shouted the only thing that came to mind. "RUN!" Run he did, charging forward, Judy almost immediately in tow, as front doors throughout the apartment complex bursting open with worried sheep and goats immediately setting their angry eyes on him.


	25. Chapter 25

_"And is it over now, do you know how,_

_Pick up the pieces and go home."_

.

**Chapter 25**

.

Racing towards the stairs, and the doorway they came in through, Nick felt the cries and screams begin to call down thick and fast. Here, there and everywhere, the residents were reacting to his presence and, while half of them were cowering in fear from the Con-Fox in their midst, the other half were ready to get some glory. Hoof beats began ringing out across the complex, racing across the access decks as angry Rams and hot headed Billy goats began charging towards him, ready to serve some rough justice. Nick needed them out of the way, fast, and he knew just how to do it. Diving into his pocket, his paw grasped the hard plastic inside and held it aloft into the air, easily visible as evident from the horrified screams coming out from the crowd.

"That's right ladies and gents! I'm as collarless as the day I was born!" Nick eagerly shouted, as he swung the Wolf's collar around for all to see.

Racing down the two flights of stairs to the level of the back door, the path had been cleared as the former vigilantes', now terrified at the prospect of facing an 'essentially savage' predator, fled back into the safety of their houses and locked their doors shut. Skidding around a corner, Nick saw the exit door coming up a stone's throw away, only for it to be blocked as a hulking Ram planted himself in front of it, holding up a heavy chair in front of him as if he were a lion tamer. Bulging out, evident even through his thick wool, his limbs were covered with thick muscles and his head sported two thick horns that curved out and terminated in a set of viciously sharp points, while a black eyepatch covered one of his eyes. The other one fixed intently on Nick, its strange oblong iris scanning the creature in front of him hatefully. Screams and cries were raining out from up above, imploring him to flee and to save himself, yet all he did was stand and laugh.

"He's Bluffing! That Chomper's still got his coll…." He began to shout, only to be cut short as Judy's legs smashed into his face, knocking him onto the back wall and out cold. Nick, with nothing blocking his path anymore, carried on running and shot out of the door with Judy in tow, while furious cries rang out from behind.

"Doug's right boys!"

"He's still got a collar on!"

"That one must be a spare!"

"Let's get him!"

The mob was back, and now they were clued up there was no chance of playing the same trick again. As he turned the corner and began racing back towards the rope bridge, Nick glanced over his shoulder to see them charged out into the open, various improvised weapons in hooves.

"Take my hand!" Judy suddenly shouted, thrusting her arm out invitingly. Nick didn't think twice about taking it, most of his mental energy desperately trying to keep his fear and excitement in check, his collar shining dangerously orange as it was. He did have second thoughts, however, when she led him past the bridge and towards the ledge.

"Don't tell me we're going to jump!"

"WE'RE GOING TO JUMP!"

"Carrots…."

Before he could finish the sentence, they were at the drop and both leaping out into the void. Rising up, Nick felt himself begin to plummet as the second building, which they were rapidly approaching, rose up to meet them. His paw pads slammed down onto the soft ground and he felt himself tip over, entering a bone shaking roll as he slowed to a halt, finally stopping inches from the deadly precipice with one arm hanging out limply into the void. Not wanting to look down after what he just did, Nick scurried away from the cliff and set his eyes on Judy, before his legs buckled and he almost collapsed from the stress.

"Nick! We've got to keep going!" Judy desperately urged, as she got up as well, before starting to racing on.

But Nick was kneeling weakly on the floor, head thrown down and panting hard, while he weakly muttered out a set of words, attempting to make them calming but failing badly as they came out tired and tense. "Keep calm, happy thoughts; keep calm, happy thoughts; keep calm, happy…"

"Nick! We have to go!"

His ears shot back from the order, and he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as he repeated the same words faster and faster. "Keep calm, happy thoughts; keep calm…"

"NICK!"

He snapped, his eyes opening and fixing themselves fiercely on his friend. "ARE YOU TRYING TO BUZZ ME…"  **ZAP…**  Judy winced as Nick yelped sharply in pain, before surging forward and holding out a friendly paw. Slapping his paw into hers, the trembling Fox rose up and shook his head to clear his thoughts, collar going down to green as he looked up and smiled; before it beeped up to yellow again as a loud thud rang out from behind them.

"Leave the Bunny alone Fox! Then I'll only beat up you badly!" screamed a large ram who was kneeling by the edge, his anger radiating from him as he was joined by several other sheep, each one having taken the jump.

"Carrots, we have to go!"

Turning away and running forward once more, Nick and Judy began racing along the pathway as it snaked around the second building, hugging the wall as they ran downwards, fast approaching a third tower.

"Get onto the fire escape!" Judy called out, and this time Nick didn't think twice when he grabbed her hand, nor when they leapt. Sailing through the air, they hit the cold metal balcony hard, the iron grating cutting into their paws while their heads and torsos slammed against the stone wall with a sickening thud, before they shook themselves out of their daze and got to their feet again. Before the first ram even had a chance of making a leap, the two were rapidly descending the long chain of ladders and stairs, ground level rapidly approaching. However, the entire structure was shaking as hooves marched down above them, the mob of angry sheep catching up fast.

"Jesus Capybara, where's Honey when you need her!" Nick cursed under his breath as he leapt down yet another set of stairs, fast approaching the end of the long chain of walkways, located next to a fast flowing river.

"I know, is there anything that will stop them?" Judy agreed.

"What about water?" Nick suddenly suggested, as they finally reached ground level, the cold moorland of up above giving way to a thick layer of cloud forest that hid them from view.

"What… No!" Judy replied, immediately catching on to Nick's plan as they raced away from the stairs, towards the rush of the river regardless of her concerns.

"Got any better idea?"

"…."

"I'll take it as a no then, but I need you to share my shocks!"

"What?" Judy asked incredulously, desperate for clarification.

"Stick your hand under my collars shocker and hold tight!"

Reaching the edge of the river, Judy looked up and down for any alternative, but with no conveniently placed logs which they could use to cross before kicking in, she gave up and went for it. Jumping up into Nick's arms and their vice like grip, Judy thrust her hand between his collar and neck, before he took the leap.

.

The water took them immediately, dragging them along before they even had a chance to register its mercilessly cold embrace. Kicking with his legs while paddling with a spare arm, Nick tried to keep the duo upright, struggling to make sure that Judy's head never went under more than it needed too. However, a sudden hit from a jagged rock slammed both of them sideways, sending them tumbling through the freezing water. Before they could right themselves, they hit another rock, and then another, bouncing around like pinballs as they were rapidly carried along. Each hit knocked more breath out of them and tore at their frigid muscles, each one still trying desperately hard to do its duty and hold onto each other tight. Breathing was now a matter of seizing the opportunity, taking in a rapid breath when you were in the air and sealing your lungs shut before you were dragged under or tumbled around once more. The assaults kept on coming on and on, remorselessly stabbing and punching until it was finally over and they entered a clear part of the river. Still tumbling, even after they left the squalls and rapids, it took every last little strain of effort for Nick to right themselves once more, both mammals' heads finally sticking out of the water as they sped onwards, desperately trying to catch their breath.

"Hey… Fluff… just orange… seems like… I didn't need you!" Nick hoarsely joked, each raw word spoken out between the deep breaths that were attempting to quell the fire coursing through his oxygen starved lungs.

"Good for you," Judy managed to reply, face awash with relief as she pulled out her hand and began stroking Nicks head, her paw fussing the fur on his crown and stroking up the outside of his ears. However, as her ears picked up a distant rumbling, that relief, along with Nick's, instantly vanished as the two look forward with horror. "You've really done it this time Sliiiiiiiiiiiiick!" she screamed, the nickname dragging out into a terrified cry as the two fell over the lip of a huge waterfall, dragged down with the remorselessly falling water. Plummeting with the massive cascade, Judy managed to straighten up into a jumping position while Nick flailed around screaming, his body lighting up electric blue as multiple  **Zaps…**  rang out. The sounds, almost drowned out by the roar of the water entering the plunge pool, were silenced as the two mammals hit the water with a splash and a massive crash. Bar the glinting moonlight, nothing disturbed the waves and mist on top of the pool for several seconds until Judy burst out, rising to the surface while desperately scanning around, her mouth trembling with utter horror.

"Nick! Nick! NICK!" she screamed, her ears scanning around as they desperately sought out a reply, finally twitching into position when they heard the weak pleading.

"Help…"

Her eyes set on a red blur, weakly paddling as it struggled to keep itself out of the water, before she swam forward to his rescue.

.

The rain was falling again by the time the two made it to the shore. Taking the lead, Judy hauled Nick by his shoulder as he crawled limply out of the river, water running off his clothes and suit as he did so. Slowly getting up onto his feet, trembling as they took his load, he strolled over to the shelter of a large palm leaf, hunkering down in the relative dry as the water poured down remorselessly around him. Looking down at his father's suit, torn and stained and water logged, he couldn't help but chuckle at the mess he had made. Holding up the fabric to his eye, carefully scanning to see if it was salvageable or not, he was snapped back to attention as Judy threw herself onto the floor behind him, before pouting glumly.

"What's the matter fluff?" Nick cheerily asked, looking over his shoulder to see the depressed Bun.

"We failed…" she slowly muttered, "I've been trying to work out the causes of the savage attacks for months. Heck, I thought I'd found it for a minute or two with your amusement park thing…"

"The one and only Wild Times you mean?" came the smug, boastful reply, before Nick quickly finished off with a rushed addendum, "trademarked to Nicholas P Wilde productions…"

Judy rolled her eyes and looked away, staring at the ground as she began shouting out with frustration, arms wildly gesturing out as she did. "But this Wolf guy, with his changeable accents and poison gun… he was the culprit and no-one had any idea! And I finally track him down and find all the evidence, and get discovered before I can call in the cops! We could have ended this tonight! The cops come in and find all this, then you're free and everyone's happy! But no! We have to get found out and chased down by a mob of Sheep, and you almost drowned, you idiot!"

"An idiot who got us away from said mob," Nick calmly replied, as he leant over and put a reassuring paw on Judy's shoulder. A small smile, but a warm and genuine one, grew on his face as he saw the tension and anger release from Judy's muscles, as she turned round to smile at him. "… and a Bunny who did find out the truth and who shouldn't be beating herself up so hard. Who's sitting there, looking at me with that 'I'm going to kill you' stare, her nose breaking the twitching record and… Finnick was right, I am so tempted to say the C word right now! Must resist…!."

Judy barely stifled a laugh as Nick joked out, before shaking her head and looking sadly down at the ground again. "But we're back the square one, and we've lost our only lead."

"Shame," Nick agreed, nodding as his paw dived into his pocket and fished out the Wolf's collar, "without it, how will we ever keep this piece of trash charged!"

Judy's eyes opened up and brightened, while her ears shot up to attention, as she trembled with excitement at the evidence in front of him. "He's trapped!" she exclaimed as she took the collar from him, "he can't go out in public anymore, and all we need to do is call the police on him and he's had it!"

"Even if that fails, I've got a loud of wet documents and stuff in here," Nick added as he patted his breast pocket, "there's got to be something incriminating in there!"

"Exactly, let's get back to Honey's place and sift through everything," Judy eagerly suggested as she got back onto her feet and began walking off, Nick following in tow. "Our little incident up there should throw the sniffers right off!"

"Yup!" Nick agreed, "Even I couldn't follow a scent trail after that! Let's just find a way to get across town incognito..."

A sudden snap from the side stopped the two in their tracks, Nick's collar going orange as the pair slowly turned their heads to face the sound. There was another snap, then a loud crack, while a set of heavy footsteps and the sound of rustling vegetation got closer. Looking up, Judy motioned for Nick to get behind her as she grabbed a bottle of Fox-repellent from her belt and held it up, ready and waiting. The noises got closer, the vegetation in front of them shaking, before the head of a large black bear poked out. He quickly glanced sideways, before he looked down and registered the two mammals, his eyes widening and collar beeping orange as he recognised them!

"Wilde!?" he exclaimed, as the Fox in question stood up and smiled.

"The one and only!" Nick proudly replied, with his signature wide grin and two thumbs up.

"You look rough man; I saw your collar go off as you fell down that waterfall! I'm just glad you're alive…" he said, voice filled with relief, before he paused and pointed a finger at Judy. "Although, we might not be for much longer with her around!"

"She's good, she's good!" Nick immediately reassured, planting himself between the Bear and Judy while holding out his paws defensively to keep him off. "Both of us know that someone is turning Predators savage; we need to get to a safe place to sort out our evidence."

The Bear backed off, pausing for a moment as he mulled over the proposition. "My car is nearby, I can drive you to anywhere within the district, no questions asked," he said, fishing out his keys juggling them in a paw for emphasis before dropping them back in a trouser pocket, smiling as he did so.

"Fantastic!" Judy exclaimed, giving a mock salute as she walked forward. "It seems like something is finally going OK for a…."

She never got to finish her sentence, interrupted the loud thud of something hitting the Bear's head at speed, sending him tumbling backwards to the ground. Judy raced forward to assist him, trying to see what was wrong, only to be grabbed tight by a terrified Nick, who began dragging her away.

"Nick! He needs help!" she screamed, but he didn't care. He knew those symptoms; he'd seen them play out on a bear not too unlike the one in front of him. The deep ragged breath that went in and out rapidly, straining to fill hungry lungs. The trembling and twitching of the limbs as the mind lost control. The eyes frantically blinking, before closing hard and then opening to reveal wide black windows into an empty and hateful soul.

"He's gone Savage!" was all that Nick could shout, before the Bear got up and charged. Thundering towards them on all fours, mouth roaring out guttural screams and moans, he set a bee-line straight for the two smaller mammals. Before he could think, Nick threw Judy to the side and dived under the savage mammal, letting its momentum carry it and its deadly natural weapons away from her as it smashed through the nearby undergrowth. Twisting around as he slid, he grabbed the unfortunate Ursine's shirt and pulled himself up, reaching out with his paw and grabbing the keys from its trouser pockets. Registering the potential prey clinging beneath him, the savage ground to a halt, bouncing up and down to try and dislodge him before rising upright, standing on two legs so that his paws could try to tear him off. Having been frozen in fear during the bouncing stage, Nick snapped back to attention and leapt off, charging forwards into the undergrowth with the keys held tight in his paw.

"I've got the Keys Carrots! Let's get out of here…." He began to call, before his shout trailed off as a reply failed to materialise. Nick nervously glanced over his shoulder before halting out of horror as he saw what was going on. The Bear's attention was no longer focussed on him, instead aiming for Judy. Although tough, the Bunny knew she had no chance against a fully grown bear so she had fled. Bolting for the low undergrowth, she hunkered down and often resorted to running on all fours, all the while weaving through the stems of shrubs and undergrowth, ducking under fallen branches while her attacker smashed through behind her. Like a bulldozer, he kicked up the detritus from the floor with each step, showering Judy with waves of filth as she tried to escape. His head, drooling with saliva as it swung left to right, brutishly clearing a path, reached down and attempting to snap at Judy, narrowly missing her tail. From his vantage point, Nick saw the path of destruction circle around from the right before changing direction, rapidly approaching him. In the seconds it took him to register what was going on, it was already too late. The ferns in front of him burst open as Judy leaped out, her head smashing into him in the chest and winding him, forcing him backwards into the undergrowth where he landed painfully on his tail. Before he had time to recover, his lifting face registered the snapping maw of the Bear leaping right at him.

"AAAAAAHHH!" he screamed, welding his eyes shut and desperately batting the air in front of him with his unsheathed claws, before a familiar  _Beep_  and  **ZAP!**  made him scream out again, out of pain this time rather than fear. His paws reflexively surging to his neck, Nick hunkered down and braced for the terminal assault, only for it to never come. Still shaking out of terror, his collar a dangerously high orange, Nick slowly opened one eye to try and see why the Bear, still pounding and roaring, hadn't killed him yet. Flinching back as he saw the savage, still dangerously close, he finally relaxed when he saw the handcuff that was fixing one of his rear legs to a small tree, its trunk bending and creaking from the strain. Spotting Judy to his left, Nick nervously made his way over, keeping an eye on the bear at all times until he was well out of view.

.

"Nick, didn't something seem off? I'm having a hard problem putting my finger on it" Judy quietly asked, as they emerged from the undergrowth and made their way to a small street, a small camping setup and a solitary car parked a short distance down it.

"Don't think so." Nick replied, "all I know is that removing our Wolf friends collar…" He paused slightly, repeating "collar…" several times before his eyes widened and ears shot up with the epiphany. "The Bears collar was green throughout! Whatever hit him must have stopped it triggering!"

"Yes…!" Judy exclaimed with agreement, before pausing. "But how?"

Nick shrugged, "I guess it might limit the heartbeat and suppress his adrenaline… So despite being mad… our guy doesn't feel mad."

"But that's never occurred with any other case…" Judy quietly mused before she shouted out in realisation. "Batch two!"

"What?"

"The Wolf mentioned not having a chance to test batch two!"

"Well, he does now…" Nick grimly said, pausing as his ears pricked at the sound of a loud snap from far off. Then there was another snap, then the thunder of feet on the ground and the crashes of vegetation being bulldozed as something big charge forwards. The two mammals paused, turning around to face the source of the sound, gulping and turning to each other as they spotted the shaking plant life getting ever closer.

"The tree must have snapped…" was all Judy managed to say, before the hulking mass of black fur and muscle careered out of the undergrowth, eyes dead set on Judy. She braced for impact, only for a raised paw to come swooping down at her before she could react, smashing into her and knocking the wind out of her chest. Small and light enough to be batted about, she felt the world go spinning as she was launched over to the side, tumbling over the rough gravel road until she painfully skidded to a halt. Although the claws had pushed her along, rather than tearing into her flesh, she felt four stinging puncture wounds on her torso, along with the aching cuts and bruises from her hard landing. Shuffling backwards along the floor, no weapon or backup available, she could have sworn she saw her life flash before her eyes as the bear rose up above her, roaring as his raised paw began its final, deadly sweep down. Only, it wasn't the end, as a screaming red flash leapt up onto his neck, clamping its muzzle around it before lighting up blue with a hideous  **BUZZ…**. The Bear, shaking and roaring in agony, latched onto its attacker with his claws and tore at him, throwing him off. His clothes and fur shredded, Nick was flung far away, a screaming mass of red and flashing blue that tumbled through the air before crashing hard into the ground, its loud  **BUZZ**  and desperate cries of pain and agony continuing on and on as he rolled to a halt and stopped, shaking on the floor as his screams still echoed out into the night. Turning away from its assailant, the bear looked down at its prey once more only for a small pink object to lodge in its mouth. Clamping down and thrashing it about as if it was a fish, it suddenly halted as the canister exploded in its mouth, before its eyes widened and whole body collapsed to the floor. Spitting out the mangled plastic, the black beast began retching violently, desperately trying to rid its mouth and sinuses of the unbearable burning inside of it. His eyes watering and welding shut, horrible moans escaping his mouth, the fate of its prey, or attacker, didn't even register on its list of concerns. Instead it turned to the ground and took a great bite out of the earth, trying to use the soft soil to quench the awful spice, and hardly noticing the grey bit of food running towards the convulsing, screaming mass or red, white and blue off in the distance.

.

Burning... Burning pain…. It was all Nick could feel, and all he could think about. A remorseless fire coursing from his neck and snaking through his entire, writhing body. Simmering in the stinging gashes on his torso, slowing eating their way inside of him. It was even piercing his eyes and sinuses, making them itch and swell as if thousands of miniature swords were stabbing and clawing at the skin, the caustic pain mercilessly trying to strangle him off. He had no time to think about, or even register, the three or so different sources of unbearable agony, instead only reflexively tearing away at the source of the greatest, still strapped tightly around his neck and letting out a sickening  **BUZZ…**  that seemed to last for an eternity. Everything hurt, everything was burning, he just wanted it all to end. Please… just end it all…. and then, suddenly, the worst of it was gone.

The coursing fire that had torn through his neck and travelled through his body, piercing each and every limb, was no more. Although he still shook and trembled as the ghosts of the shocks echoed through him, he no longer flailed about manically as if he were in the midst of a fit. The embers in his stomach were still burning hot and wet, though. His sinuses, eyes and the back of his throat were still stinging like when he had been sprayed with Fox-repellent by the Wolf, a pain that was getting worse and worse as time went on rather than better. His neck… it still felt like a hot knife had been hammered into it, a burning sting still throbbing out… and he smelt an acrid scent of burning fur.

" _Nick…._ "

A quiet voice, far away and distant, seemed to break the silence. Nick tried to think but couldn't, his mind so tired and weary. He saw a grey blur run up to him and over, its mouth moving but only hints of sounds coming out. Somehow, feeling safe as it cradled his head off the ground, Nick decided he needed to smile. His worn and tired muscles straining with all their effort to produce a weak, trembling grin. And then, as the exhaustion and pain caught up, the world faded to black as the darkness took him.


	26. Chapter 26

_"Is this the real life?_

_Is this just fantasy?_

_Caught in a landslide,_

_No escape from reality."_

.

**Chapter 26:**

It was early afternoon, the grand clock above the city hall letting out a set of sweet brass rings as it lazily chimed two. Rising upon the granite blockwork foundations of an old star fort, which had been built several centuries ago in order to defend the eastern bay from invasion and raids, the civic building stood resplendent in front of the city proper. The buildings outer walls were built of warm bath stone facing that was shaped into a multitude of complex shapes and features: huge balconies, deeply recessed verandas, Greek style fluted columns, multitudes of intricate statues and gargoyles, lovingly detailed carvings and hundreds of massive windows, all rising up four elephant sized stories in three vast wings. Each wing was topped by a vast glass and iron arched roof, whose panes were stained in a spectacular mix of different colours that contrasted with the jet black paint covering the supporting girders. Almost looking like a set of railway terminals built in the height of the golden age of steam, rather than an equally old municipal building, the three wings met together to create the layout of a trefoil. The flanking roofs of the wings, alongside the massive Furrussian orthodox style dome at the point where all three met, were all clad in thick copper which had turned a rich, earthly green colour from the decades of exposure to the surrounding air. Everything was seemingly serene, the sky bright blue with occasional clouds floating by; the flags of the city and elite police force flying atop the flagpoles and flapping lazily in the breeze; traffic moving swiftly and unimpeded along the elevated motorways behind the building and tugs slowly moving barges full of raw materials to and fro in the water in front of it.

"ONE WEEK!"

The frantic voice of the mayor screamed out and immediately shattered the peace and quiet as it beckoned out. Deep inside the complex, Swinton was standing at her desk and frantically berating her underlings for their repeated failures, both verbally and with an erratic body language performance. Dressed up to be dignified, wearing a fine red jacket over her plain dress while a fetching flower necklace hung around her neck, she was anything but. Thick black bags hung under her eyes, her tuft of hair was unkempt and frizzy, her makeup completely absent, while the creases and wrinkles that crisscrossed her face made her look like she'd just aged by two decades. Standing in front of her stood the chief of police, her assistant Woolly, and all three Razorbacks. With the exception of the police chief, who still stood tall and stoic, all members present were seemingly affected by the stress of the last week's events. The Razorbacks, although still intimidating, sported tired eyes and slightly hunched backs from the stress and effort of their futile hunt, along with the heavy burden of their first recorded defeat. Woolly meanwhile merely cowered, terrified and shielding his head with one hoof as if he were about to receive a beating while the other one assisted in his comfort eating, grabbing a bunch of shredded paper and stuffing it into his mouth before repeating the process, trying to keep up with the frantic pace of his chewing and swallowing. It wasn't working, as his entire body winced and shook with each and every word his boss spat out.

"It's been one week and we've had nothing…" the Mayor said nervously, pacing up and down behind her desk out of worry while her arms frantically waved about, emphasising every point as her rapid speech got faster and faster. "Everything needs to be perfect! Everything has to be tickety-boo! But it's not, is it? As we have an escaped, extremist chomper whose vanished off the radar! A working civilization requires everyone to feel safe around everyone else, but they don't know where he is and what he'll do next! And then people are too scared to do stuff and stop trusting each other and then we're into chaos and back to the savage ages! We can't have that can we? It's destroying everything that mammals all worked for! My Legacy…"

"Mayor…" Woolly meekly interrupted his voice barely more than a whisper as he tried to snap her out of her panic, but failing as she carried on and on, her speech and gestures getting ever more frantic.

"The Legacy of Mammal civilization… All gone and its ALL MY FAULT! I mean, civilization is wonderfully imperfect, that's what it is. Like a body, a miracle in action but with so many faults and stuff. And now we have this disease pumping through it, tearing it apart from the inside!"

"Mayor," the police chief barked out as he too tried to get her attention.

"And we have an immune system that's failing… I mean, we can't have everything descending into panic, can we? Oh sausages… Oh Swedish meatballs…. Everything's going to fall apart, and I'm…"

"You, Me, the best restaurant followed by a room at the palm hotel tonight?" the youngest of the Razorbacks, Brad Wurst, casually suggested, giving a cocky grin and a wink while his two elder comrades looked on with mild looks of disgust plastered on their faces. No matter, however, as it seemed to do the trick with Mayor Swinton pausing for a moment and looking at him, a nervous grin riding up her face before she glanced up at the others in the room and threw it off with a sudden shake.

"I'd say we couldn't afford to take you and your team off the task at hand," she said, her voice shifting down to a half annoyed, half disappointed tone as she dismissively held up the base of her hoof while her voice became increasingly grating. "But after you lost him, it seems like your team hasn't been up to much use."

"With respect, Ma'am," the grizzled Razorback squad leader, Frank N Hunter, retorted. "We've sniffed across each of the districts. While I take responsibility for not working out his initial escape solution sooner, we've done everything we can."

"So, now what?" the mayor impatiently demanded and giving an exaggerated shrug. "Any bright ideas, or is it just more bad news?"

"Well, Ma'am, there are some more interviews and such from the last sighting," Woolly answered. "They all say that Hopps was assisting the Chomper."

Swinton merely oinked, rolling her eyes at the pure absurdity of the situation before settling them on the police chief. "What about you Bogo? Any news on where he is or what he's doing?"

The hulking Cape buffalo snorted, before calmly replying. "None, although I guess the anonymous reports of an uncollared Pred at the last sighting was a distraction by our Fox, rather than someone spotting some kind of reckless loose cannon of his like that savage bear. This means he's still collared, thankfully. All my officers are being deployed with collar activation remotes, so once we find him it's game over."

"But you haven't found him!" Swinton angrily retorted, "nor poor officer Hopps. I dread to think what she's going through."

"Fortunately, from what I've gathered, she should be fairly safe," Bogo nonchalantly replied, to the shock of the mayor.

"Safe, SAFE! She's been kidnapped by a skulking Con-Fox! Her natural enemy! How can she be safe?"

"From the reports of the last sighting…"

"You can't be serious!"

"While I'd have the same reaction beforehand," Bogo calmly stated, "evidence suggests she is working with him. Likely Stockholm syndrome or something. At the very least, it shows the experience isn't abusive."

The Mayor pondered the idea for a bit before shaking her head, violently pacing backwards and forwards as she desperately tried to think of something, anything! "Are you sure there isn't something you've overlooked."

The third razorback, Peter Roni, spoke out. "Apart from one anomaly, nothing."

"What anomaly!" the mayor shouted, immediately latching on to the potential lead.

"It's just that, an anomaly, so mind bogglingly absurd that…"

"I DON'T CARE!" The Mayor shouted, "CHECK IT OUT!"

The police chief and the Razorbacks immediately nodded, before turning and marching out of the office. Brad Wurst took a second to pause, whispering in Woolly's ear, before continuing on and closing the heavy door shut behind him. As soon as it locked, the mayor collapsed onto the desk, her hands weakly holding her head up as she limply sat down on her plush office chair, looking wearily on at something in the mid-distance. "I became mayor to build new railways and things… and give the people someone they could believe in… well, most of the people," she glumly said, looking down at the desk. "Trust my luck to be the one burdened with this disaster..." As she stewed in her own self-pity, Woolly cautiously trotted behind her, hurriedly munching his bag of shredded paper while the mayor's eyes slowly rose to meet him. "Have you any good news that can help me…" she muttered, "I'm beginning to not even worry about the fact that I'm no longer a shining example of civic pride…civilization… something… something…"

"Brad Wurst's offer still stands," Woolly quietly replied, the words partially lifting the mayors half lidded eyes. She shifted them around, carefully looking from left to right, before a small smile grew across her face and she spoke out.

"Yes please…"

.

**-Meanwhile, somewhere far away-**

.

Everything was black, a jet black that not even Nick's acute night vision could penetrate, a black that was more a complete and abject absence of any and all light rather than a colour. A rational person may well ask if he was dead at the moment, was this the afterlife that religion had vastly overhyped? It certainly wasn't the 72 Vixens or whatever that Finnick's old man had enticingly mentioned on and off during Nick's adolescence with them, that was for sure.

But Nick wasn't rational, at least at this point in time, although whether he was in the rest of his life was up to debate. In any case, each time he tried to think, from the rational stuff to the odd bit of self-depreciating wit here and there, he was hit with an awful strain on his aching mind. His head was screaming with pain, the space between his aching ears feeling like it was trapped in a closing vice thanks to the remorseless assault of an incoherent mess of shrill sounds that just kept pouring in. He felt another pain too; it was small but piercing and ebbed and fell on a regular basis. It took him a while to realise that it was beneath him, on his chest, and it was rising and falling as he breathed in and out. He was breathing… he was alive… that was a start. Mentally patting himself on the head for looking at the bright side of life (and still cracking jokes, even if they were merely errant thoughts), the question switched to the state of the rest of his body?

He felt a strange sensation, almost like someone tickling him, from what he sort of remembered to be his left foot. With a lack of anywhere better to start, Nick tried to pull at it, succeeding as it flexed backwards and forwards. He registered a short, high pitch sound, before the screams relentlessly assaulting his ears died down significantly, much to his relief. He felt his toes on that foot being nudged around, something small and soft twiddling them about, slipping between them or even grasping his claws and pulling them out to examine them. Focussing his mind, Nick managed to wiggle them back, albeit quite lethargically, and the sounds changed again as they began to do something that almost sounded like giggling. There were other sensations too, pushes and shoves that were beginning to rain down on each and every extremity, which gave Nick more points of reference. Taking control, slowly regaining the sensation and movement of each and every limb, Nick finally felt like he was a whole, albeit broken, Fox again. The aching on his chest was still not going away however, so he lifted his heavy paw up and began to move it over the pain in an attempt to comfort it, only for his arm muscles to give way and let his hand fall down hard onto what felt like medical dressing, and his wounds beneath. The jolt of sudden pain coursed through him, forcing out a strained cry of agony from his muzzle while his mind flooded with newly crystallised memories of that fight… the bear… Judy…

Silence suddenly hung all around him, the previous cacophony of noise gone, as Nick slowly realised that he was thirsty. So very, very, thirsty. The inside of his muzzle was bone dry, his usually course tongue rubbing against the roof of his mouth with a texture somewhere between that of sandpaper and steel wool, while his entire body felt tight and shrunk. The last thing he remembered was being thoroughly drenched to the bone but here he was, both bone dry and parched. His throat felt like it had been desiccated, a dull ache emanating from it with every strained breath in and out. Just how long had he been out?

"Water…" he weakly whispered through the newfound pain, sending the sounds outside into a flurry of new noise which hammered down his ears and flared up his mind once more. Assuming his request was being sorted out, he needed to be able to take it when it eventually came, a task easier said than done. Straining the muscles in his back, he tried to haul himself up into a sitting position, only for a horrific dizziness to overcome him and send his head thudding back down on the soft surface it, and the rest of his body for that matter, had been resting on. What if he tried to see? Figuring out that he had nothing to lose (although, a small part of him chastised himself for A: not remembering how cruel fate was and B: asking for it). Nick chose to entertain that notion by trying to open his heavy eyelids, the skin fluttering as he strained to lift them up, before the vicious glare of light caused them to reflexively close again. Letting the mild pain and swirling shapes dissipate, Nick tried again. It was better this time, his eyes adjusting somewhat to the light levels and making out a cohort of small, strange shapes of varying colours clustering around him, blurred and out of focus as his eyes tried to bring them into clarity. However, his heavy eyelids still won, slamming shut as his muscles gave way. They would have stayed closed, weren't it for the fluffy things that took hold of them and pulled them open, revealing the sight of the dozens of Bunnies crowded around him.

"Danny! Leave him alone!" commanded a stern female voice from behind him, immediately followed by the support to his eyelids vanishing. The heavy tissues closed back down, only for Nick to open them again, blinking several times in order to remoisten his dry eyes before they finally stayed open.

"Hello Bunnies…" was all he could say as he attempted to be endearing, the strained and hoarse words slowly croaking out of his mouth while a paw managed a weak and paltry wave, before the entire crowd burst into a riot of deafening activity. Grimacing in pain, eyes closed as the headache returned with newfound vigour, the blurring sounds he'd heard before began to focus just like his vision had into crystal clear voices crying and calling to others that he was awake. Feet began pounding, alongside the squeaking of springs (Nick thought he saw a Bunny bouncing on a bed to his right) and the tooting of a trumpet somewhere. The surrounding ring of Bunny's that were looking on at him, crowding around the set of beds that had been pushed together to support him, was being added to with every passing second as more and more curious heads turned up. It didn't take long to register that these Bunnies were all young, twelve at the oldest and six or so at the youngest, and all were looking on at him with fascinated eyes.

"Did you save Judy?" a young voice called out above the rest, its high pitch and volume only adding a little bit of irritation to plethora currently occupying Nick's head.

"I think I did," came his quiet reply, as the floodgate of questions opened.

"What's it like being a Fox?"

"Why is your fur so red?"

"How do you hear with such small ears?"

"Is it true that you can see magnetism?"

"Do you hurt yourself with your claws often?"

Immediately inundated, Nick felt the pain in his head rise even more as the noise assaulted him, his mind drumming as if a military tattoo composed of elephants was occurring inside. Desperate for some (relative) peace, Nick tried to cry out, a strained and somewhat muted request escaping his screaming throat as a result. "One at a time, please…"

"Are you the Fox they talk about on TV?"

"Can I go to your theme park?"

"What does that collar feel like?"

"Does your tummy hurt?"

His simple request ignored, Nick pulled his ears down as flat as they would go. As the torrent of queries from the high pitched choir kept on coming, one painfully registered above all the others, screamed out by a Bunny as loud as he or she could manage. "ARE WE BEING TOO LOUD?"

 _'Yes, you definitely are,'_  Nick grumbled in his mind, unable to muster the energy to move his jaws and pronounce the words, all while the verbal onslaught continued.

"Why is your tail so long and fluffy!?"

"How old are you?"

"Why are you so smelly?"

Nick would have chuckled had he been able to make out the cute questions, but they kept on coming one after the other, pouring into his ears and merging into an incoherent mumbo jumbo that beat at his eardrums more and more with each passing second. His pounding headache was getting worse and worse, Nick groaned from the oncoming migraine that gripped his out of form brain, all the while straining his weak vocal cords as he begged once more for calm. "Quiet, please… my head's killing me…"

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Don't you eat Bunnies?"

"Why are your teeth so long?"

"Why do you still have claws?"

"What does Bugburga taste like?"

"Do you want to hear me play the trumpet?"

"Did you kill the mammal that wanted to kill Judy?"

"How do you see so well at night?"

As if the questions weren't enough, Nick's ears practically screamed at the sudden sound of a blaring trumpet, the shock almost making the poor Fox jump out of his own skin. Its eager owner, ready to impress, began to proudly playing a really bad rendition of what may have been the blue Danube, but it was so off key that it could have equally been Finnick in his elephant costume calling out for him. 'TOOT! TOOT! TOOT! TOOT!'

"You're NOT ANSWERING; DO YOU WANT US TO SPEAK LOUDER?"

"Why is your collar orange?"

"Have you ever seen a mammal go savage?"

"GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!" cried the same, older, voice that had called out early, reducing the cacophony of sounds to a blissful murmur, before the wall of Bunnies parted as one walked in with a glass full of water. As the little Bunny, fully dressed in a nurses' outfit (by the looks of it, the exact same one that Finnick had worn on the Wild times opening night), carefully stepped onto the bouncing mattress, Nick slowly stood up as the nausea began to dissipate. His hand was still weak, so he merely guided the glass beneath his muzzle before lapping up the cool water with his tongue, his maturity be damned. He felt the cold refreshing liquid slink up his tongue before trickling down his throat, blissfully quenching his raging thirst wherever it went. Already feeling the haze of dizziness begin to dissipate, Nick slowly took the glass into his own paw and tilted it up, before finishing it all off in a set of large gulps just like a big Kit (the streams of water leaking from the corner of his mouth, flowing down his neck and torso and soaking into his fur as they went notwithstanding).

"One… my head really hurts so please be very quiet… one question at a time," Nick slowly requested, relieved that speaking was no longer a pain, before he turned to the little Bunny right in front of him and smiled. "Two, thanks for the water," he continued, all the while wiping off the excess liquid from his muzzle and neck before drying his paw on his hand. "I'll let you ask the first question if you promise to get me another."

"Can we hug you?"

Blinking slightly in confusion at the odd request, Nick looked down at the tight bandages around his exposed torso before shrugging. What the hell? "Stay away from my injuries," he cautiously requested as his voice warmed up, "and you can all help yourself…"

In the millisecond it took Nick to register that this may have been a bad idea, the entire fluffle of Bunnies was all over him. Every part of him, bar the chest, had the arms of a Bunny wrapped tightly around it, while countless little fingers fussed and mussed and probed and tickled with his fur. Taken a back for a moment, Nick began to relax and enjoy the cosy embrace, smiling as the little the legion of cute bunny's petted him and loved him as if he were part of their family. All the pain and confusion, although still in existence in a dark corner of his mind, was banished as he let a special kind of pure unadulterated love wash over him for the first time since his parents' arrest all those years ago.

"Mr Fox, your water…" came a familiar voice, as the nurse Bunny returned. Gently shooing off his numerous huggers, Nick took the second glass and carefully drank it down, finally banishing the aches and pains that had infested his brain and body as he rehydrated.

"What is your name, Mr Fox?" asked another Bunny.

"Good question. I'm Nicholas Piberius Wilde, although you guys can all call me Nick."

"Hi Nick" they all said in unison, before descending into fits of giggles and laughs, Nick himself joining in too. Their revelry was interrupted, however, by the command of the elderly Bunny who held sway.

"Leave him be and help him up kids. I got a message from Judy, she wants someone to take him to the central dining room. Anyone able to do that for me?"

As Nick was helped upright, his feet tentatively resting on the floor and taking his weight, the crowd parted to let through one of the elder Bunny's, by the looks of it aged about thirteen. He looked at Nick and smiled, before turning to the middle aged Bunny to his left, and proudly stating that he would. The adult bunny looked almost like a school matron, in a good way. She was chubby, but in a cosy comforting way like Clawhauser or Honey was, and wore a knitted yellow jumper beneath her large pink apron. Nestled in her arms was a tiny sleeping Bunny, by the looks of it less than a year old. "I'm Sharon; I'm in charge of keeping order in this room… Daniel here will lead you to Judy."

"Thanks," Nick replied, before slowly leaning over to have a better look at the baby. Smiling slightly, he carefully extended a paw to stroke him, only for Sharon to step back and wrap her embrace tighter around the baby, shirking back as if to shield the child. Nick paused, glancing up and spotting the fear and concern reflected in Sharon's eyes, before he sighed and turned to follow Daniel, only to feel a light tap on his shoulder.

Nick turned his head and felt soft fingers gently take his own. Sharon lifted the fox's dark furred paw and placed it on her child's forehead. Nick looked at the matron in surprise, receiving a soft smile that projected a slight amount of trust amidst the apprehension and wariness. He enjoyed the touch of baby kit's silky, grey fur on his paw pads and he let his entire body relax, even letting a genuine warm smile grow on his muzzle, an action that had been so rare for him outside of Wild Times. The infant stared back at him with adorable rounded eyes, full of innocence and curiosity, all the while smiling back at him.

Acting on a sudden instinct, Nick began to lower his snout towards the baby, his lips parting as he went. Sharon gasped and tensed, but did not recoil like she did before while worried whispers from the crowd of young ones filled the air, all until Nick planted a loving kiss on the kit's forehead, making the child giggle. It was a melodious sound that filled the air and warmed the hearts of everyone. Sharon relaxed and looked up, smiling as she spoke softly, "He likes you."

"Thank you, he's precious…" Nick replied, before turning to leave the room. Spotting Daniel waiting by the door, he noticed a new look in the adolescent's eyes. Trust, amazement… it took a few seconds for Nick to realise what he had just done, and when he did he suddenly beamed with pride. It was a small step, but a step which Nick suddenly knew wasn't impossible. He'd shown a bunch of Prey mammals that he was more than  _just a bloodthirsty chomper._

.

"So… how does this entire place work exactly," Nick cautiously asked as he followed Daniel through the maze of passageways that made up the vast warren. Everything, from the floor to the roof to the wall, was seemingly carved out of rock. It wasn't the ugly cut and then wall-paper over style of the Wolfs place but instead an almost loving process that must be akin to sculpting, everything curving and flowing and twisting and bending almost as if it was a wave frozen in motion rather than a set of mined passageways. It was colourful too, warm and gentle colours adorning every surface with giant floral patterns added discretely here and there, making the tall and wide corridors feel airy, light and for open even for Nick, despite the abject lack of natural light filtering through. The echoes of hundreds, if not thousands of bunnies, all talking and chatting and living and working permeated every square inch of the vast complex, yet they were almost soothing, like the sound of waves breaking on a secluded pebble beach.

"What do you mean, how does it work?" Daniel curiously asked back.

"I mean; how does this not descend into chaos?" Nick clarified; still looking around curiously while taking the occasional sniff as well (it smelt like bunny, mainly). "Surely at least one of these places has fallen into architect's dog-flea eating anarchy in recorded history?"

"It just works," Daniel shrugged, as he continued to lead Nick on.

"Must be a bunny thing," Nick pondered back, but truth be told he was beginning to see glimpses of how the place functioned all around him. He'd woken up in a dormitory or nursery of some kind, where a bunch of similar aged kids slept and played while their parents worked outside or inside. Going through the corridors now, he passed a host of small tube apartments, bored into the walls while young bachelors mingled in what seemed to be a common room outside, discussing news and events. Each mini room, containing a small bed and desk, included a curtain that could be drawn across the front in order to give the occupant a modicum of privacy when and where they wanted it (which didn't seem to be often). There were more traditional small apartments too, neatly laid out and organised for small Bunny families (four of five children at most), likely raising some of Judy's innumerable nieces and nephews. Glancing through the wide, unglazed 'windows' that allowed in light from the passageway, Nick could see how each 'house' was lovingly decorated with plants and furniture and decorations, with any rambunctious play relegated to the communal areas. Talking of play, a loud bouncing ball caught Nick's attention and he peered over to see a bunch of children playing a ball game of some kind, taking place at the bottom of a wide spiral stairwell, illuminated by warm sunlight pouring in from a roof light that must be far, far above them.

Pausing for a moment to watch them play, Nick turned around only to realise he'd lost Daniel. After chastising himself for not remembering the Bunny's scent, Nick frantically scanned around and peered down each of the half dozen passageways the Bunny could have taken one by one, trying desperately to spot the one person who knew his way around this labyrinth. He wasn't among the group of Bunnies gathering for tea around a small table at the bottom of another light shaft, eating their cucumber sandwiches and blissfully unaware of the children haphazardly climbing the grandfather clock or leaning over an elevated railing behind them. Several of the adventurous climbers even had badminton rackets, and were whacking a shuttlecock around the place without a care in the world.

There was no Daniel in the corridor that must have led to a nursery, that room overflowing and filling the passageway with Bunny kids bouncing around merrily on space hoppers. Another one was on a tricycle, eagerly cycling around while hauling a long train of babies, all snugly nestled in movable saucer seats, behind him.

He wasn't in the large recreation room, a whole family of rabbits sitting down on a massive couch, half of them engrossed in whatever movie or cartoon was on the TV, the other half engaged in a pitched pillow fight, flurries of feathers breaking off and flying around with each whack and smash.

He wasn't among the various occupiers of a weaving passageway, which snaked left and right and up and down as it travelled to some place deep in the depths of the burrow. Nick looked on and realised that there was an actual mailman in it, slowly making his way from apartment door to apartment door, delivering the post to each one. Various Bunnies, all dressed in smart business suits, were waving to him and dropping an odd comment or two as they past, making their way up the steps and towards what must have been the way out.

There was a good dozen or so Bunnies, although no Daniel, in what looked like a large atrium area with residences on various levels opening out onto it. Nestling around tables, whole families were intermingling and enjoying what must have been brunch, eagerly munching on an assortment of carrots (raw, stewed, roasted, caramelised, even turned into coleslaw) as well as cabbages, lettuce, cucumber, corn on the cob, piles of grass and even a great slice of marrow which had been carved up. Newspapers were fluttering and innumerable heated discussions were being started and finished as new Bunnies came and went.

Even the spiral shaft that had distracted Nick in the first place and caused this sorry mess was empty, with the exception of the Bunny Kits who were still there, taking pot shots at a basketball hoop. Nick gulped, trying to remain calm despite the fact that, without his guide, he was completely lost and was at serious risk of starving to death before he found his own way out.

"Down here!"

Nick jolted with relief as he heard Daniel's voice again, quickly looking around in an attempt to find its source until his head lowered and his gaze rested on the head of a rabbit sticking out of a small hole discretely built into the floor.

"Do you know how difficult it is to climb up these things?" The Bunny angrily asked, before waving Nick on and giving him a new order. "Follow me..."

Daniel turned and his head vanished, revealing the top of the plastic slide he had just slid down. Seeing as there was no other choice, Nick shrugged before following in suit and diving into the opening feet first. Arrow straight, hoping his larger body wouldn't jam the uncomfortably narrow tunnel, Nick's body bent left and right, concave and convex, as he travelled down the slide before he was suddenly spat out of an opening in a wall, skidding uncomfortably on his tail before climbing back onto his feet. Spotting Daniel up ahead, Nick followed him past numerous other slides, some popping out of holes in the wall, others spiralling down from up top, all while his long walk carried on and on, approaching an ever increasing racket.

.

"What's that FOX doing in here!"

Nick and Daniel paused, turning on the spot to see the cause of the sudden shout. There in front of them, hobbling along with a Zimmer frame while dressed in his slippers and dressing gown was the oldest Rabbit, or indeed Mammal of any kind, that Nick had ever seen. His movement was slow, but that didn't stop a bunch of young bunny children, likely with nothing else to do, from hanging around him like flies. They were everywhere, around his feet, on his Zimmer frame and even perched on top of his bent back and all seemed more interested in something else, rather than what he was furiously shouting through his wrinkled, wizened face.

"Grandad…" Daniel began, walking forward and waving slowly down with his hands, trying to calm the geriatric Lapin but failing to contain his know it all ego completely.

"That's Great Granddad, little one!"

"Sorry", Daniel spurted out before smiling and turning to his guest, gesturing to him with his hands as part of his introduction. "This is Nick…"

Daniel was cut short, the Old Bunny interrupting the younger one as he continued his rant. "Are you crazy bringing that vile Chomper in here? He…"

"Saved my sister, Judy." Daniel interrupted back in turn, smiling as he did so while Nick gave a cursory wave.

"Trudy? The Cop?" he replied, his bitter and evidently unimpressed tone turning curious as he tilted his head up and to the side, his mouth opening and closing slightly as he sifted through the countless names of all his descendants. His face puckering up as his train of thought reached a potential conclusion, he turned to his great-grandchild for clarification on the matter. "Hasn't she been eaten yet?"

"No… " Daniel began wearily, rolling his eyes, before another, equally old and shrill voice, interrupted.

"Maxwell!"

Maxwell turned, facing another rabbit who was almost identical in appearance to him, right down to the slippers, gown and cohort of disinterested followers. The only difference that could be made out was the faded set of black stripes that adorned the new Jack rabbits face. "Basil," he grunted with disgust, fist raised and weakly shaking as the other geriatric rabbit continued to speak as he came to a halt beside him.

"What are you doing insulting this poor Fox? He's a guest under our roof!" the newcomer Basil angrily shouted, although his tone was also laced with a mix of disappointment and resignation while he mirrored Maxwell as he raised his fist and shook it at him in contempt.

"We'll be guests in his stomach before too long!"

"Are you crazy…?" Basil exclaimed incredulously, before shaking his head dismissively and carrying on. "Scratch that, ask a silly question… Surely even you can remember that no-ones eaten anyone for millennia?"

"You're the crazy one Basil, it was you who supported poor Trudy's delusion. You got her eaten!"

"Expect a silly answer… Judy, whose name I actually have the decency to remember, was saved by that brave Fox you nincompoop!"

"Nincompoop? NINCOMPOOP!" Maxwell screamed with fury at the remark, his nose beginning to twitch furiously. "You're the one who said those damn Chompers shouldn't have to wear collars! It's like you want us to all end up in a pot… We should be tripling the voltage and doubling the sensitivity!"

Nick listened to the banter wordlessly, getting a feeling of déjà vu. Daniel meanwhile closed his eyes and sighed, leaning over to whisper to Nick, "They've been going at each other since Judy took the job as a police officer." Nick snorted in amusement. He was finding antics of the senile buggers quite amusing, and would quite like to talk with Basil when the time was right. As for Maxwell, Nick had met so many mammals like him over the years that he'd learnt to just let the abuse slide off his back.

Basil groaned, his half lidded eyes closing as his raised fist, still shaking, unclenched as it slowly made its way up to his face, gently resting onto it before sliding down. Shaking his head, he turned to leave before grunting a final, bitter, sentence. "You don't know anything, you coward."

"Coward!" Maxwell screamed, piquing Basil's attention once more as he continued. "Who do you think you're calling a coward...? I served in the Navy during the War!"

"Pah! I served in the commando's, the D.O.E, during the war, raiding the enemy bases in the Savage Seas!" Basil proudly but indignantly replied, as he turned his full attention back to the argument. "Code name Jack Savage, the very first! While you spent your days drinking and playing poker on a tidily little minesweeper that never left sight of the shore, I was risking life and limb! You don't know fear if it came up to you with a twenty piece marching band playing 'this is fear, I am here, you can see me plain and clear, stop lazing around drinking beer!'"

"Fear…? Just after I almost got a heart attack! A Fox in my own home!"

"I fought with a Fox in the war!" Basil almost screamed, as he spat at the feet of a horrified Maxwell. "She saved my life, braving machine gun fire as she kept our escape boat's engine ticking over. She died beside me a hero! If it weren't for that Vixen, none of your descendants would be alive."

"I am the Hopps here you know! Mr Thumper…"

"Yes… my poor grandkits…" Basil whimsically replied, "Having to share your surname!"

"What! May the Mixie take you!"

"So be it!" came the stoic reply, "That's a real terror from hell, not that poor Fox."

Maxwell paused for a bit, before giving a muted chuckle and holding out a condescending finger as he began to lecture. "You talk about terrors from hell…"

"Uhh, here we go…" Basil sarcastically muttered, all while Maxwell continued to talk over him.

"Those Foxes are red, cause' they're made by the devil!"

"Maybe, we could ask our guest what he thinks of your opinions," Basil casually replied, before calling out. "Hey, Mr Fox…?" he began, before his speech trailed off as he turned to where Nick and Daniel had been at the start of the bitter conversation, only to see that they were gone. Maxwell was looking for them too, and as the two OAB's turned back to face each other, they nodded solemnly in agreement.

"Kids these days!" They said firmly in unison. "No patience!"

.

Nick and Daniel stepped out onto a balcony, overlooking the vast expanse that was the Hopps family's vast central dining area. Down far below on the hall's floor a set of huge tables were set out, food continually being ferried to them from a massive kitchen and dirty dishes taken back in. Meanwhile, adults and children alike were continually working at the multiple sinks, ovens and workspaces within the adjacent kitchens. Others were coming and going, continually picking up the newly prepared plates of food and taking them out through the vast Bunny shaped doorways and to the tables, ready to sate the demand of a never ending stream of hungry mouths that continually came, before picking up and returning the plates of those whose meal were finished. Above and between the doorways, the dividing wall between the kitchens and the dining room was littered with picture after picture, showing countless photographs of the extended family, all proudly arranged for everyone and anyone to see. Above it all were several layers of balcony levels which, just like the one he was on, overlooked the vast hive of industry. On each one, Bunnies were coming and going and doing all manner of activities, from paper plane assembling on Nick's left to a knitting group on his right. Life, here, there and everywhere, was carrying on without a care in the world both inside the burrow and out. Even though he knew essentially no-one here Nick, for some strange and indefinable reason, felt that he was 'home' for the first time in decades.

"NICK!"

His ears pricked up with the familiar voice, soft and gentle yet rising far above the omnipresent murmur, and his collar beeped up to orange as he set his eyes on a familiar Bunny.

"JUDY!"

"I see you're glad to see me," she slyly joked, looking up at his collar while a wide grin plastered her face, before she ran forward to embrace him. Nick walked forward too, ready to wrap his arms around her and glad beyond measure that she was OK. Only she got there first, and hit his still healing wounds hard.

"Ow!" Nick stuttered, holding back a much bigger scream behind his gritted teeth and grimacing mouth as Judy pulled back with alarm.

"Sorry...!"

Nick smiled and relaxed slightly, ears drooping down in a happy way, as he rested his paw on Judy's shoulder. "Fluff, there are easier and quicker ways to kill me you know," he quietly teased as Judy grabbed his paw and began to walk around him, all the while smiling as she looked up at his green eyes and orange light.

"Yup, ever hear the legend of the killer bunny?" she piped back, as she turned around to lean on the railing.

Nick twitched his muzzle around, left and right as he thought, before giving an exaggerated shrug. "Yes, with the razor sharp teeth and everything."

"That would be the one," Judy replied, gentling punching him in arm before walking on. "Daniel," she said, gathering the younger Bunny's attention, "I'll take him to my room from here. Thanks for the help."

Nick quickly waved Daniel thanks too, before strolling after Judy. Hearing the murmur of countless Bunnies go quiet behind him, dissipating alongside the rich scent of food, he turned to Judy and gently tapped her on the shoulder, garnering her attention. "Where are we going?" he curiously asked, as she led him back through the maze of corridors.

"Something super-secret I've been working on," came her teasing, almost suggestive, reply. "Which I think you're going to rather enjoy..."


	27. Chapter 27

_"She's got devious lies,_

_And chameleon eyes,_

_And she can't care less."_

.

**Chapter 27:**

.

Slowly following Judy through the maze of tunnels, wandering further and further down into the bowels of the household, Nick began to notice how the walls were becoming more faded and worn, the paint chipping and cracking while the appliances and décor were beginning to look more dated. There were pipes too, built into the structure in a way that was eerily similar to the ones in his old place. They ran along the roof of the corridors or from wall to wall before inexplicably vanishing, rising up through the roof or diving down through the floor or veering left or right and burrowing off to someplace new. A few drips could be seen here and there, leaking out of the joints and falling straight onto the floor instead of an attendant bowl or kettle. It must have been the source of the humidity, which filled the musty air and made it unpleasantly stuffy and clammy, a problem added to by a worrisome odour of mold and rot. Even more worrisome, in Nick's view at least, was the fact that the omnipresent crowds of Bunny's had gone, with Judy the only one in sight. Instead, the spaces were taken up with all manner of old or worn furniture and items, ranging from prams to mattresses and cleaning equipment, all seemingly left abandoned and gathering dust alone.

"This is the industrial area," Judy said out of the blue, turning to Nick and smiling, having somehow known his confusion and deciding to give him the explanation before he even asked.

"You Bunnies have an industrial area?" Nick asked incredulously, with Judy merely smiling some more and shrugging as she walked onwards.

"Well, a small shed in the backyard wouldn't really cut it, would it?"

"Depends on what you Bunnies define as a 'small shed'."

"We're down near the boiler, it can get quite unpleasant here sometimes so we use it for storage, the laundry, noisy activities and all sorts of things we do DIY. I mean my place used to be a darkroom when I was little."

"Fair enough," Nick shrugged, before he paused, ears pulling back and mouth gaping open with concern. "Wait, your family bunged you down here!"

"Oh, it's not like that," Judy calmly replied, "a number of Bunnies with messy or private activities get rooms down here, where their work can be kept under lock and key. I used to have my own room up top, but I took ages to walk down all this way, so I began sleeping down here full time to save on the commute." Grinding to a halt, Judy pulled out a key from her pocket and held it aloft, before turning and unlocking a door to her left. Opening it with a loud click and stepping in, she waved to Nick, gesturing for him to follow her. Entering the room through a wave of faint chemical smells, he slowly climbed down the four steps to the main level, before he looked around in awe at the chaos that surrounded him.

A worn wooden desk took up the entire back wall and still held the various chemicals and equipment used for developing photo's, all laid out and still in working order as if the digital camera was still science fiction. Several photographs, having been developed some time in the not too distant past, still hung from the various wires that were strung from wall to wall. Long since dry, they flapped around in the modest breeze let in by the opening door, although Nick had no idea where or when they had been taken. The arched roof of the room was plastered with ZPD recruitment posters, proudly displaying the organisations principles and motto's, while the walls were taken up with clusters of photographs, notes, newspaper clippings, shelves full of brick-a-back and several cork boards that were thickly covered with all of the above. In a small alcove, sitting to the side of the stairs and separated from them by a wall, a cheap desk was set out with a computer work station, along with an antique typewriter, a massive police radio and a large fore-point desk lamp all making the chipboard buckle under their combined weight. Above the workspace lay a large bookshelf that was straining under the weight of the thick books it held up, their binders adorned with a variety of titles which Nick silently read out to himself. Even a cursory glance picked up formal studies on criminology, forensic work and the legal system, contrasting sharply to the junior guide to being a detective and a variety of crime novels, Shirelock Holmes and the Hardy Colts merely two that Nick recognised from afar. Directly to his right, on the far wall of the alcove and on the opposite side of the room to the photo lab, stood several battered filing cabinets which were overflowing with papers. At the same time, half a dozen bulging binders and files were haphazardly stacked on top of said cabinets, the tall pile seemingly ready to tip over at a seconds notice and spill their mysterious contents across the floor. But it was the map behind it all, filled with photographs and notes all linked up with string, that caught Nick's eye more than anything else in the room.

"Isn't that the map we found at the Wolf's place?" he curiously asked, turning as he heard the sound of the lock being clicked shut again, before Judy leapt around him in a tight hug.

"STILL HURTS!" he painfully grunted, eyes shooting open as he grimaced, biting back on his scream. Judy, realising her mistake, released him in horror.

"Sorry!" she blurted out, her hand up against her gaping mouth and ears drooping right down in guilt, although it was quickly dissipated as Nick gave a small chuckle, all while giving Judy a small, reassuring, pat on the shoulder with his paw.

"It's OK," Nick calmly reassured her, as he grabbed a nearby desk chair and slowly sat down, "I experienced much rougher loving when I woke up…"

"Oh Sweet Cheese and Crackers, what did they do?" Judy exclaimed, her face full of worry as she began pacing backwards and forwards, frantically gesturing about as she spoke. "I told them to be gentle and leave you alone…"

"Judy…"

"I told them that you were badly injured and would still be in pain…"

"Judy!"

"But who knows how much they've boned you and how much…"

"You're very cute today…"

.

Judy stopped dead in her tracks, pivoting on her foot to face Nick, scowling at him intently while her nose rapidly twitched.

"Sorry, I needed to catch your attention," Nick said regretfully, giving a sly little grin as he smiled and shrugged. "But don't worry, your siblings were… rough, yes. But it was all genuine love and care… when they all hugged me I felt like the most loved mammal on earth. You're a very lucky mammal, you know that?"

"Yeh, well…" Judy began to say, a grin on her face and her voice warm and happy as she hesitated, rolling her eyes as she thought about what to say next, before turning back to Nick and giving out a muted laugh. "Sometimes… more than others."

"Yup, from my experience that sounds about right," Nick readily agreed, as Judy hopped onto his lap and sat down, gently stroking his muzzle as the two mammals relaxed in unison, their mouths smiling and ears settling down into an upright but not alert position, evident of how safe, cosy and above all relieved they felt.

"I'm also very lucky to have a brave mammal here who saved my life."

Nick wasn't expecting that. His eyes widened and ears flicked up with the shock as he tried to register why Judy seemed so grateful to him. But along with the confusion, he felt something else. Warmth? Pride? Did he feel touched? The whirlpool of emotions went around his brain, intermingling with his surprise to such an extinct that even his collar registered his confusion, briefly warming up to orange. Seeing his reaction at the statement, Judy paused for a moment, her mouth parting slightly and nose giving a few twitches as she tried to work out how Nick just couldn't see the truth of what she'd said.

"What?" she quickly asked while giving a short sharp shrug, "you saved my life by attacking that Bear!"

"Hopps…" Nick quietly replied, his voice tinged with confusion and simply unable to register the idea that he, a Fox, could be the hero. At the very least, he was no more of a hero than Judy was. She saved him from the Wolf (twice), she saved him from the sheep mob, she saved him from drowning and she saved him as much from the poor nameless bear as he did for her. Unable to fully express the entirety of the statement, Nick just stated the obvious, "Carrots… you saved my life just as many, if not more times than I did to you!"

"Well," Judy shrugged nonchalantly, before fixing her saddening gaze on Nick's amber collar. "I was never punished… tortured for it…" she quietly said, before reaching down to her desk and opening a draw. Her hand going inside and fishing around, Nick opened his mouth about to speak, only to be silenced as her other hand held itself up into his face. Glancing down on it, Nick's gaze shifted to her other hand and widened when he saw what she'd retrieved.

"Well," Judy warmly said while shrugging, "I think I did mention something about giving you a chance." And with that she held up the collar key, without a hint of fear and worry, and activated it. There was a soft click as the latch released, the tough plastic strap falling away to the floor while Nick stayed almost motionless. Judy's smile faded slightly as Nick seemed not to register what had happened, his paw merely rising up and giving the area a quick stroke as if to double check that it was really gone, while his mind raced with thought.

"Nick, are you OK?" Judy carefully asked, as the Fox's nose and ears twitched slightly, while his gaze made an occasional shift.

"Nick...?"

Nick's arms darted forward, embracing Judy in a tight hug before she had time to think. As if he were desperate to cuddle her even more than he was already, Nick, his muzzle widening into a massive smile and twitching with the occasional deep sniff, tuckered his legs and tail up to envelope her while his head gently rested on hers. Judy, at first shocked, began to relax and even nervously smile as she snuggled against his exposed chest fur. Her head rubbed against him, her ear laid against it and picking up his fast beating heart, while her nose inhaled his deep musk.

"Judy…?" he slowly asked, getting her attention.

"Yes."

"Why would a sly bunny like you… ever trust a dumb Fox like me?" he nervously continued, "To be happy? Or angry…? Or excited…? Or sad…? Or… Or…" His voice faded into silence as his eyes closed shut, while his body began to rack with a mix of unstifled sobs and laughs. He sat there, running one paw along Judy's back, stroking her and feeling the velvety soft fur on his course pads, all while tears began flowing down from his eyes. It didn't seem like so long ago when he'd broken down and cried, practically screaming as he grieved at the memory of his parents and his loss. That night in Wild times, finally able to express himself without the fear and burden of his collar, he had shed tear after tear in sadness and grief. But here he was crying out of joy. He was a Fox, and she a Bunny, but here… in the heart of her warren… surrounded by innumerable family members… she'd taken his collar off. She trusted him with her life, the lives of everyone precious to her… She'd thrown away everything she'd been told by her elders, her teachers, the media… and instead believed the most hated and least trusted mammal of them all. He wanted this moment to last forever, staying here warm and safe with Judy snuggled up inside him, unable to comprehend the words that could express what he was feeling. But like all good things it had to come to an end as Judy, raising her paw to fuss along his muzzle, spoke out.

"Because, Nick," she began, piquing the Fox's attention as he opened his eyes and held back his tears, "there's no one I think I trust any more than you. I mean, with what I've learned, I don't even trust myself that much anymore…"

"Do!" Nick suddenly urged, his eyes opening wide and voice hardening as his paw gently extended, caressing her head and stroking it as he spoke out. "You are the bravest… most persistent… Prey, Cop, Bunny… friend I've ever know… And, if you can't trust yourself to let go of things that need to be, even though you just did… then just remind yourself that you helped a cynical old Todd regain his faith in Prey…"

And in that moment, the two mammals smiling as they looked into each other's eyes, a lifetime of distrust and anger melted away. A Bunny, who'd always wished to protect and help, knew that she had to work day and night to serve those who she'd always though were the ones she'd be protecting people from. A Fox, who always thought that every Prey mammal took glee in making his and his friends life worse, suddenly knew that so many of them were good mammals who just needed to be shown the light. They both knew the world needed changing, that they could change it, and they were with the only other mammal in the world that could complete the task.

.

"Do you want an update?" Judy slowly asked, still sitting in Nick's lap while his paws slowly stroked the crown of her head.

"No time like the present," he shrugged, at which point Judy immediately leapt off his lap and onto the floor, leaving Nick's hands suspended in mid-air as she raced forward, leaning down to twiddle the dial of a safe lying on the floor. As she inputted the code, she turned back to Nick and began to casually explain the situation.

"OK, it's been a week…" she said, before bracing down as Nick, shocked by the revelation, almost shouted out.

"A WEEK...!"

"Yup, he really did a number on you."

"But… surely by now one of your family would have leaked out that I was in here," he nervously said, realising that the whole house must have known that the Fox they were harbouring was public enemy no.1.

Judy looked on at him, before cracking a smile and turning back to the safe as she gave her response. "Mutually assured destruction."

"Pardon…?"

Judy didn't speak, instead opening the safe and thrusting a massive folder full of files into Nick's paws, the title on the front labelling it as, 'Hopps family embarrassing secrets. A-C'. Nick gave a cocky grin, chuckling as he looked back to Judy, who chose that moment to open her mouth. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart!"

Nicks chuckle exploded into a full blown guffaw, as he looked down at Judy and saw her in a whole new light. "Sly Bunny…"

"Dumb Fox," she replied, as she grabbed an item from her safe and thrust it onto the desk. A suspiciously familiar tame collar.

"Is that…"

"The Wolf's? Yes, it is," Judy began as she hopped back onto Nicks lap and turned on her police radio, twiddling with the dials before settling on an empty setting, before looking back at the device in her hands. "It's a dud. No shocker present inside! Not only that, but it can be taken on and off by pressing the button three times, and there's a mini USB port on the back."

"What's that for?" Nick curiously asked, as Judy's smiled increased.

"The data chip's reprogrammable! You can change all the details. For instance, I've now set it for a Fox called Frederick D Winston… your new ID."

"What kind of dork came up with that name?"

"The kind of Dork who also worked out how the Savage drug works! Night Howlers are a rare plant sometimes used as a natural pesticide, but what isn't well known is the fact that, if eaten, they can cause any mammal to get super aggressive."

"Even a Bunny?"

"Apparently my uncle ate one and took a bite out of my Mum's shoulder… Also, a year ago, the main supplier suffered a major fire at a warehouse and stopped deliveries for several months, and the savage cases paused!" Judy gestured at the map on the wall behind her, all laid out and organised and covered with detail notes and reports, all linked together by a vast web of string. "You were right, by the way," she added, looking back at Nick, "It's the same sort of thing the Wolf had, only mine's been set up for about six months."

Nick was about to reply when a squeal of static roared from the radio, sending the two mammals shuddering down in pain, their paws over their ears as they waited for the feedback induced howl to die off. Nick looked curiously at Judy, before a modulated, synthetic voice familiar to all sci-fi fans, or anyone who'd watched paw wars, broke out.

" _Fwish…Fwooo…_ You're awake Slick!  _Fwish…Fwooo…_ " it called, the excited tone tempered by its deep, echoing bass. Nick only scowled back, before picking up the microphone and speaking in.

"Honeybun, please don't use the Darth Grazer voice helmet," he wearily said, before his tone warmed up slightly, "I'd like to hear your real voice."

" _Fwish…Fwooo…_  and give the sheep alliance scum my identity?"

"I don't think a twenty buck toy will make much difference."

"I find your lack of faith disturbing…"

"Honey?"

Nick's question hung in the air for a few seconds, only to be met with the mechanical breathing sound of Darth Grazer once more. " _Fwish…Fwooo…_ "

Nick sighed and turned to Judy, "Has she done this all the times you two have talked?"

Judy just looked back and shrugged, a nervous grin on her face and arms gesturing up as if to ask, 'what can I do?'

" _Fwish…Fwooo…_ Slick, you can destroy the sheep. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule Zootopia, as Fox and Badger."

Nick's eyes widened as he realised just what was going on, before he brought his paw up and hit his face with it hard, muttering out their shared fate. "Sweet cheese and crackers… She's going to do them all!"

"Honey," Judy urged, taking the microphone and nervously chuckling as she spoke into it, her voice strained as she desperately tried to be polite to the mammal on the other side. "I know it was a laugh… but the first three times were fun enough!"

"No! I am your fa…"  **Bang….**  Nick and Judy jolted back as the sudden sound of crumpling plastic cut Honey off, before the voice of Finnick spoke out.

"Quite right! I warned her! If I had to hear here repeat those quotes ONE MORE TIME!"

"Wow, Finnick! Calm down!" Nick urged, desperately gesturing downwards as if the Fennec Fox were right in front of him.

"It's all good Slick!" came the deep reply, chuckling as it went, "Officer Toot Toot came around with her key the day after you got written off! I'm free to bite off all the faces I want!"

"Least I could do after you guys patched him up," Judy modestly swooned, as a deep groan took over the airwaves.

"It's broken!" Honey said as she recovered, although her voice was still being modulated into the deep tone of James Ewe Jones, "NOOOOOOOO!"

"Do you want to me to use my baseball bat again?"

"Finnick… Help me take this mask off…. _Fwish…Fwooo…_ "

Clawhauser, who had been oddly silent for the entire conversation, chose this time to butt in, "But you'll die!"

The Cheetah's concern/ pop culture reference remained unheeded, bar Nick lazily rolling his eyes, as there was some clicking and grumbling from the other side of the line before the clatter of plastic on a hard floor. A long, moaning groan rang out, before Honey spoke out in her usual voice. "I guess I asked for that… I was being a real Flea after all, I s'pose…"

"Now we've dispensed with the pleasantries," Nick calmly began, before his face soften into a warm smile and his voice taking on a loving tone, "it's great to hear you guys are all OK."

"You too Slick!", "Bout' time you got back on your feet Bro", "OM Goodness, I should have said how happy I am that your OK sooner… Eeeeh!" the three mammals on the other end of the line said in unison, their voices competing against each other in a chaotic mix of sound.

"Anyway," Judy announced, taking control of the situation, "I've told Nick about the Wolf's fake collar, and the source of the savage drug, but that's it."

"Well, we contacted Kozlov," Honey proudly announced, "he said, considering you stopped him getting busted by the razorbacks, that he'll forgive your 'minor' transgression. He got some cam footage of our Wolf friend, but nothing else. But the big news is, I tracked the dart! It's top tier military stuff! The kind the special forces can only get…"

"Which means this guy is getting some high tier sponsorship," Judy grimly added.

"Or he's being commanded by the master sheep!" Honey countered, her suggestion followed by an unearthly quiet, the only sound an odd cricket that had somehow made its way in and was chirping.

"Well…" Judy said, as she turned to look at the board, "the timing suggests something different... Each case seemed to take place at a random time, but after scanning through several patterns I found one which matched."

"Which is?" Nick casually asked.

"The mayor," Judy bitterly replied.

Nick's eyes widened at the accusation, before he turned away and nervously gulped as he mused over what he had just been told. "What, old premier Troterski…?" he asked, desperate for clarification and getting it as Judy replied back, confident with each and every word she spoke.

"Every time her poll rating has started to dip, a savage case occurs and it rises again… She makes a big show of keeping the city safe. People trusted her, I trusted her… and when they fear, they turn back to the one who keeps them safe."

"Wow…" was all that Nick could say, comprehending the scale of the conspiracy he had been caught up in. "Anyone else involved?" he asked.

"The police chief, Bogo…" Judy mused. "Unless Savage had a spare collar, he would need a friend within the force to keep him in check after we'd stolen his own. The chief is the only one who would have the authority for that kind of thing, as well as having one crucial advantage above any other officers…"

"Which is?"

"He doesn't have to deal with Bogo."

"What about Woolly?" piped in Honey's voice over the radio, evidently more excited than it had been at any time throughout the conversation.

"Any evidence other than the fact he's a sheep?" Finnick wearily asked, reducing Honey as well as Clawhauser to mild um's and ah's as they tried to think of some, only for Nick to provide a link.

"The Wolf's apartment complex was popular with sheep," he mused, at first drawing Judy's ire but then sending her eyes wide open with the realisation.

"Maybe that was how he was giving him the orders!"

"Sounds right," Nick agreed before looking away, "although why he'd do what he's doing I still don't know."

"We worked that one out thanks to you," Judy said, drawing Nick's attention before Honey piped in.

"Those stock details and stuff you found at his place, Judy left them with us when we bandaged you up. I did some research and you'll never guess which companies he's interested in."

"Fox-Away?" Nick idly suggested, yawning as he did so.

"Wha… How…?" stammered out a stunned Honey.

"My natural Vulpine talents of intuition," Nick vainly boasted, a wide toothy grin growing on his face.

"Ha… Ha… Slick." Honey grumpily replied, before carrying on, full of energy. "He also invested in a company called triangle enterprises, which specialised in advanced electronics but is pretty much bankrupt after losing a major contract. Guess what it was for?"

"Dunno."

"Tame Collars!"

Nick paused, his mouth opening and trembling with worry before closing again, while he nervously gulped and let his ears fall back flat. Looking over to a desk his eyes rested grimly on his collar, lying there menacingly as if it would pounce and tie itself around him again at a moment's notice.

"There was a design competition, a few years ago, for the next generation of devices," Honey continued, "and while most of the new designs were small, lighter and cheaper… bar one that apparently came with a nifty massage function, their one was an absolute doozy! As well as having a shock unit the size of a pack o' cards, it was four times as sensitive and packs six times the punch! That's before we get to the metal prongs attached all around the strap, designed to stick into your fur n' wiggle their way straight onto your skin, or the fact it apparently weighs a ton! The feedback from the trial run was so negative, it was chucked out less than a third of the way in!"

"But if the attacks continue," Nick slowly muttered, his eyes widening and ears falling back as the grim realisation overtook him, "something like that could be seen as a solution…"

"And Mr Wolf becomes rich enough to live in a mansion…" Finnick added, "the absolute Judas!"

"It's worse," Nick glumly said as he stood up, before beginning to mutter as he paced back and forth. "He mentioned something about a new formula. He had the first lot of this second batch… but hadn't tried it. Then, when the Bear was hit, he went savage but his collar stayed green… I guess due to some drug added in to control the heartrate. If… if we don't stop him, people will think the current collars aren't working!"

"Well, there's only one thing for it," Judy announced, "we confront the mayor, get evidence and take it to the press. Out of uniform people won't recognise me, and Nick can wear Savage's fake collar with a new ID."

"We have some spare clothes for Slick over here," chimed in Honey, "pay us a visit, and then you can head over to the Palm hotel where that Swine's staying tonight!"

"If that's the plan, then I'll see you soon!" Nick replied, saluting as Judy switched the radio off and turned to Nick, smiling. He looked down at her too, and smiled, although his grin faded as Judy's smug stare continued.

"… what?"

"You really need a shower… there's a spare one that I use next door."

Nick chuckled, grabbing Savage's collar and wrapping it around his neck, before wandering off.

.

While Nick was in the shower, Judy was idly flicking through her notes, all the while listening to the police chatter on the radio. Various call codes rang out, requesting backup or responding to new threats, mentioning developments or, in some cases, simply discussing events carrying on throughout the day. She smiled as the hissing of a nearby pipe shut off, signalling that Nick's shower was over, before returning to the her 'easy listening'. She enjoyed listening in to what was going on, picking up the various reports and notifications that came and went each day, deciphering the state of the city from their tone and contents. Nodding off slightly, she paid no mind to the sound of a macho voice announcing that his team had arrived at 'the site'.

.

Some distance away, the front door of the house opened with a bang as the three boars marched in. Roni, the brown boar with the largest tusks, immediately halted, his outstretched arms keeping his superior and subordinate at bay while he curiously sniffed the air.

"It wasn't a glitch," he murmured, teeth gritting as the realisation hit him. "I smell Fox and it smells strong!"

He raced forward, nose bent low as it sniffed the ground, as the other two followed him intently on. There was a creak as a curious Bunny opened the door to his place, eyes widening with surprise as the three boars, all with their noses down, passed him by. "Sniffers!" was all he said, before retreating back inside.

.

Judy was jolted to attention as her phone rang, quickly grabbing it and holding it up to her ear. Almost immediately, her face began to drop with horror as the news came through. Within seconds, she hung up and raced out of the room, the door slamming behind her. Frantically charging down the corridor, she slammed into Nick, who was walking along with several towels wrapped around him, before he even had a chance to react.

"Wow, Fluff…" he began, smiling before Judy cut him off.

"The Razorbacks are here!" she shouted, immediately wiping the grin of Nick's face as he realised the dire trouble he was in. Scanning around for a solution, he felt Judy grab his hand and yank him forwards, leading him fast down a corridor.

"Fluff… I hope you've got a solution…" he nervously said, before the two mammals ground to a halt in front of a laundry room. In front of them a collection of bunnies was eagerly chatting as they processed copious amounts of dirty clothes, collecting it from massive hampers and huge chutes and placing them in the waiting washing machines, while taking out and ironing out clean and dry clothes from the tumble dryers.

.

Pausing at a staircase, Roni took several deep, long sniffs before turning to his brothers in arms. "The largest scent is coming from upstairs," he grunted, looking up through one of the light shafts before returning his gaze to his comrades. "But there's also a fainter one coming from down there," he added, gesturing down a nearby staircase.

"Affirmative," their leader, the grey Boar Frank Hunter replied. "You and Wurst will take the more promising trail, I'll take the secondary."

His two underlings saluted back and marched off, while Hunter trotted down the steps. There was quiet, for a few seconds, before a rumbling began. Just to the left of the staircase, a cargo elevator came into view, carrying Judy and a massive linen basket. As the metal grills retracted, the Bunny pushed her cargo forwards and down towards the door, past dozens of Bunny's milling about, discussing the strange change in events. Finally, innocently whistling as she went, she hauled the heavy basket out of the door and into the open.

Within sight of the city, the Hopps household was one of many similar Bunny burrows that was nestled in and around the outskirts, each one looking like a barrel that had been half buried into a cliff before the front was adorned with windows, balconies and white trim in a rough shape of a bunny head. Vast crowds of Bunny's mingled and played outside in the warmth, with none of them paying much care or attention to the linen basket that was being pushed into a garage, before a small car pulled out and drove off.

.

Meanwhile, down in the depths of the household, there was a smash as Frank Hunter broke down the door to Judy's office. Switching the light on, he looked around with stunned eyes, all the while slowly getting out his radio. "Boys, we have a problem…" he slowly announced, still sniffing about. Picking up a very interesting scent, he bent down and his eyes widened with horror, firmly fixed to the tame collar lying in front of him.

"What kind of problem?" Brad Wurst asked, his voice crackling over the radio.

"A big one…"


	28. Chapter 28

_"Ah, you loved me as a loser,_

_But now you're worried that I just might win."_

.

**Chapter 28:**

.

Driving across the bridge and into Sahara square, Judy's cosy little car weaved easily in and out of the traffic, making light work of the journey towards the ever approaching Palm Hotel. While it could be seen from almost all parts of the city, the massive structure was now looming right over them, to the point where you could make out the individual rooms and balconies that made up its 'bark', as well as the revolving restaurant high above. Quickly turning into a grimly shaded side street, Judy slowed the vehicle down a steady stop, before yanking back the handbrake as she parked. Stepping out, she slowly wandered around to the back doors, unlocking them before looking in and frowning. After a couple of strained grunts and an odd rocking motion that swayed the car side to side, a sigh of defeat rang out and a maroon paw weakly extended, silently asking for some help. Grabbing tightly hold of it, Judy planted her feet on the car floor and pulled with all her might, while the occupant strained and grunted even more. Finally, after a few awkward seconds, Nick burst out of the car like a monster from a sci-fi horror flick, crashing into Judy and sending them both rolling on the dusty floor before they slammed into a nearby buildings wall. Coughing from the kicked up sand and dust as he slowly stood up, Nick began vigorously stretching, the various bones of his aching back returning to their original position in a series of sickening cracks, before he turned and glared bitterly at Judy.

"Let's take my car, rather than pop around to take yours you said… You'll fit in fine you said… Your back aching from the trip here isn’t that bad you said… Just because we need Clawhauser and Honey to push you doesn't mean there's a problem you said…"

Judy just grunted and began walking on, shoving Nick out of her way as he went. His sour mood slowly receding as he realised he wouldn't need a chiropractor in the next twelve seconds, Nick stretched up once more, cathartically straining his muscles, before relaxing and fishing through his pockets with his paw, looking for his dark aviator spec's. They'd had some time at Honey's to reorganise and plan their next move, with Nick taking the time to change into a new pair of tan slacks, a green Hawaiian shirt and a spare tie. Knowing they'd be going to Sahara square, he'd also packed the glasses knowing that without them he'd be spending half the day trying to use his hands to shade his eyes from the bright light. As expected, the sun was out in full that day, its merciless glare beating down and keeping the surrounding streets painfully hot. Hopping over a zebra crossing, making sure his sensitive paw pads didn't touch the burning black tarmac, Judy led him into a set of inconspicuous bushes nearby where they both vanished as they crawled into the undergrowth. Navigating through them on all fours, careful to avoid the low branches, Judy whipped out a set of wire cutters and approached a chain link fence in front of her. Snapping through the metal links one by one, she quickly made a suitable entry hole before skulking through and into the Palm Hotels oasis garden, with Nick following not far behind. Still in the bordering bushes of the site, the two mammals carefully peaked their heads out of the leaves and branches, taking in the sight before them. Neither of them had ever stayed at such a fancy place, in fact it was completely unaffordable on their usual budgets (except for Nick's last few months, when he was taking in vast funds from Wild Times), so the verdant beauty of the lovingly manicured garden in front of them was a sight to behold.

The grass across all the lawns was lush and green, well-trimmed and without a weed or brown spot in sight. Hundreds of trees, their various fruits all ripening and creating a rainbow of colour, filled the air. Crystal clear lakes and streams filled the place, cooling the air slightly while playing host to hundreds of different wild flowers and plants that had taken root in the mud, all swaying gently in the breeze. Flowerbeds adorned the gardens as well and were all laid out perfectly as if half the Grandma's in the city were employed to keep them in check. The palm hotel too, looming proudly above them all, added to the scene with the ever finer detail of its architecture on view for all to see, the intricate metalwork around each balcony gleaming sharply while reflecting the blue cloudless sky, along with the shape of the sky tram making its way slowly up to the restaurant level. The presence of Zootopia's most beloved celebrity, idly drinking fruit tea while she strolled around and discussed lyrics with one of her backup dancers, was something quite noteworthy as well.

"I am telling you Aleksis, if we're intent on introducing a new twist, then the song will simply work better with three Ooo's" Gazelle calmly explained, the statement slipping off her tongue in her strange, half western half latin accent, before she leant on the side of a lawn chair and took a long, deep drink of her tea.

"But five allows you to better emphasis the backing tune," replied the large backup dancer to her side in a deep and powerful Russian accent. The well-built Siberian Tiger, decked out in some shorts and a polo shirt and wearing a collar painted in orange, white and black stripes in order to camouflage it, was one of the quartet who famously danced behind the singer in her music videos and live performances.

"But three is short and snappy," the singer quipped back. "Oooh, Oooh, Oooooooh, Try everything!"

"But five," her companion replied as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, all while waving his finger to a silent beat before he began to sing. "Ooooh, Ooooh, Ooooooh, Oooh, Ooooooh!"

"Try everything!" Gazelle sung back, sending both her and her companion into a little giggle. Far behind her, in the bushes, Nick tapped Judy on the shoulder before grabbing her new phone and opening up muzzle time with Clawhauser. Picking up, the fat Cheetah appeared on the screen and spoke out, only for the muted phone to stay silent. Giving a quick wink at his confused friend, Nick turned the phone around so that the camera was facing the two celebs, with Clawhauser's eyes widening with awe. His mouth gaped open as he saw his idol, before he shook his head, likely making sure he wasn't dreaming, and then letting his face tucker up with glee while his hands burrowing up into his chin, the sides of his mouth opening to let out an excited squeal.

"Did you hear something?" Gazelle suddenly asked, standing upright in her chair and letting her ears scan around for something.

"It was nothing," Aleksis said calmly, reassuring her.

"No… it definitely sounded like some kind of excited squeal."

"It's the stress, you're working too hard on this new version of Try everything. Take a break."

Gazelle sighed slightly, before settling back down. "I know, but it's a week till Animalia, and I need this new hit version of my song. I'm just struggling to find some inspiration."

"Don't worry, Try Everything 2.0 will be glorious…" he said, before sighing slightly. "If Wild times were still open, I'd likely invite you. Stress relief and inspiration…"

Nick's eyes widened slightly as a wide smile grew on Gazelle's face, before she turned to face him. "I knew you'd been there!" she teased, garnering a smile from her companion as she playfully prodded him in the chest with a hoof.

"What can I say?" he shrugged, "I went several times, it was awesome! Although… when you factor out the fact that it's the only place and time I can do that kind of stuff, I suppose it was a bit tacky and cheesy."

"Who cares?" Gazelle loudly announced, standing up and walking around, her right arm gesturing around in the air as she talked. "I write a song called Try everything, and this crazy fun place where Preds can enjoy themselves without collars like nature intended exists! It sounded like a right laugh, I'd have loved to have visited it."

"Yeh, it was," Aleksis sadly agreed, standing up to hug Gazelle around the shoulder while his gaze glumly dropped to the ground. Sighing, he closed his eyes and gave a quick smile as he reminisced about the place. "The staff were really fun too… One of them, this fat Cheetah, was a big fan of yours, so me and the boys slipped a signed photo into a side pocket of his briefcase, I wonder if he found it…" The Tiger paused suddenly, standing upright and alert, his ears flicking around and his collar beeping up to orange. Gazelle, who had stepped back confused when he did so, now stepped forwards and planted a hoof on his shoulder.

"Are you OK?"

"… I swear I heard someone say… 'Oh Em Goodness…?'" he said, before shaking his head and turning away, "probably my imagination."

"Probably," Gazelle shrugged, before speaking out again, "any idea what happened to those guys?"

"Nope, three vanished and the leader escaped jail and then vanished… I hope he's OK."

"Yeh, hopefully they're a long way away from this mean city, poor souls…"

The two settled into a short silence, which was quickly interrupted by an angry growl from a Rhino guard who had marched obnoxiously over, his bitter stare now focussing primarily on the tiger. "Don't feel sorry for those crooks. Bunch of lying, cheating Chompers, that Fox being the worst of the bunch! Besides, without the collars to keep them in check, the second they all saw a Prey mammal they'd tear him or her to shreds!"

The two mammals in attendance both reacted, the Tiger looking away angrily as his collar went up to orange while Gazelle marched right up into the guard's face, leaning forward and pushing him back as she scolded him. "Excuse me Senor!" she angrily barked, "but how dare you insult my friend's entire zoological order! Or those brave mammals who tried to give their fellow Preds a chance to enjoy life for a change!"

"I'm just stating the facts," the Rhino nonchalantly replied, giving an apathetic shrug before leaning forwards and forcing Gazelle back, a warm smile growing across his face as he smugly spoke out. "That bear did go savage after all!"

"And how about this fact," Gazelle deviously replied, stepping backwards and standing tall and proud. "I'm a guest here, and I'm going to talk to your manager! Come on Aleksis, leave this bigot alone." Turning her head prudishly, Gazelle trotted off, the Rhino snorting out of exasperation while the Tiger passed him by.

"Just to let you know," he said, turning to face the Rhino as he passed, "Any mammal wanting to hurt my dear Gazelle, wouldn't get close!" And with that he extended his razor sharp claws, showing them off to the guard, before he left too. Shaking his head, the Rhino stomped off in a different direction, while Nick and Judy scurried silently past.

.

"OK, here's the vent," Judy whispered, as the two made it to the bottom wall of the Palm hotel. Beside them was a small ventilation grill, still large enough to accommodate them both, which Nick began to unscrew with a screwdriver. "We get in," she continued, "and climb the lift shafts service ladder to the mayors penthouse suite. We scan around for any evidence, and then get out."

"Won't it take an age to climb all the way up there?" Nick asked as he took the grill off, gesturing upwards as he did so.

"Nah, it's nothing," Judy dismissed as she climbed in, "half an hour tops."

.

.

Near the top of the tower, above the revolving restaurant, the top penthouses of the Palm hotel redefined the word luxury. The entire floor, rather than being carpeted, was covered in a thin layer of soft moss that massaged and moisturised worn paws and hooves after a long days walk. A massive four poster bed, complete with a billowing canopy and complementary salt lick, stood in one corner while a set of different sized bath's, steaming water flowing from one to another, stood opposite it looking like they had been lifted from a luxury spa. A huge fur dryer, designed to whip away any trapped moisture in seconds, stood nearby as did an antique piano, a collection of music books resting on top ready for anyone who might wish to have a go. There was finely crafted furniture spread about here and there, all polished wood, metal and marble that gleamed, or crystal glass that could hardly be seen. A large sofa set into an alcove in the floor was next to a coffee table with a large lamp looking over in order to help guests with even the worst sight read one of the many, many books present in the complementary collection. Not content with the already brimming fruit basket available, a large number of bountiful fruit trees, along with many other types of plants, filled up the gardens that surrounded the room. The air itself, already clear of the dust and grime of the city and desert down below, was faintly laced with the sweet scents of various perfumes which soothed the noses of all those who entered.

There was a soft ping as a ventilation grate was lifted up, a purple nose slowly peeking out and cautiously sniffing around. The nose was then followed by a Fox's head, which looked from left to right, scanning around for any signs of trouble. "Is it clear?" asked a quiet voice from behind, at which point the Fox turned around and nodded. Smiling, as he raised his index finger condescendingly in front of him, he took a deep breath in, his mouth opening wide as he did so, before he furiously shouted out.

"SIX HOURS!"

"It was an honest mistake…" Judy said dismissively, slipping past Nick and stepping out of the grate and into the open air, landing silently on the soft floor.

"Six hours!" Nick repeated again, landing besides Judy and glancing to his right, his gaze fixing on the view through the wide open door to balcony as his eyes widened with shock, "It's night!"

"Well, it did take us six hours to climb," Judy calmly replied, shrugging as she did so, "and I thought your kind liked low light levels? What's there to complain about?"

Nick opened his mouth to speak again, but paused before he got any words out. Closing his trap, not bothering to argue any more due to the sheer futility of the action, he looked and sniffed around, pausing as his eyes set themselves on a small desk. Sniffing intently, he walked over and grabbed a smallish briefcase, before running his nose along its top.

"This thing reeks of our Wolf," Nick said, "if only we could take a smellograph…"

His musings were suddenly cut off as a loud ping called out, with both Nick and Judy looking on in horror as the door to the private elevator began opening. Grabbing the case and darting under the bed with seconds to spare, they listened on as three sets of hooves trotted out.

"Oh Mr Wurst, tonight could only be improved by a very private mud bath…" the mayor warmly cooed, "just the two of us, wallowing together…"

"You seem much more relaxed, Ma'am," replied a cocky voice, before the soft sound of a kiss, followed by a feminine giggle rang out.

"I know," Swinton swooned, "Three hours ago I was still so stressed out about this horrendous chomper on the loose, I'd have beaten myself silly over even considering something so undignified…"

"I understand how you feel about these things," Brad Wurst said reassuringly, as he leant over and planted one of his hairy arms around Swinton. "How you'd have a heart attack if the press ever saw you as anything but the very model of a modern metro mayor… but sometimes, just sometimes… we have to accept…"

"Shhh…" the Mayor interrupted, cutting Wurst off with a trotter raised against his mouth before he could continue. "Let's carry on this stupid discussion tomorrow," she calmly said, before her voice became warm and seductive. "Right now, I'm already so hot… I'm practically smoking my bacon…"

Both Nick and Judy closed their eyes and stuck their tongues out in disgust as a mixture of passionate smooches and loud oinks rang out. Both their noses were twitching too, Judy's out of the sheer amount of cheesiness and lewdness she was having to brace through, while Nicks was from something else. Something much, much worse. Looking up, Judy noticed Nick's wide, fearful eyes as well as his intent stiffing and nudged him, shrugging as she silently asked him what was up. Nick merely closed his eyes and strained his head up, the end of his mouth open in a silent howl. Judy's eyes opened up in worry too, as the smooching outside stopped, and was replaced by an intent sniffing.

"What is it Sausages?" Swinton asked, her voice suddenly tinged with concern.

"He's here!"

"Who?"

"The Con-Fox! I smell him!"

Beneath the bed, Judy began retreating in a panic, only for Nick to thrust the case into her hand and put her phone on top. Whispering something quietly into her ears, he got up his feet and backed out of the bed, before rising up to face the three mammals in front of him.

.

"What are you doing here? Chomper!" Wurst furiously screamed, pushing Swinton and Woolly back as he stepped protectively in front of them. Gone was his combat gear and bandana of throwing knives, instead replaced by a smart dinner jacket and a tie, which was promptly torn off his collar and tied around his head as a bandanna.

"My name is not Chomper," Nick angrily replied back, his face scowling as he climbed up onto the soft mattress of the bed, towering over the others. His muzzle pulled back, almost ready to growl, he looked over at Swinton with disgust before addressing all three mammals at once. "It is not Fox. It is not Savage. It is not 'him' or 'that'… It is Nick Wilde. And you better learn it fast, as after what you did to me and with what you plan to do! I'm here to show the world just how evil you are!"

"Really?" Wurst sarcastically replied, his voice almost sounding genuinely surprised although it was betrayed by the happy smile that grew across his face. "And what can one Fox do against a highly trained officer of the law, and two…" he paused as he glanced behind him and spotted Woolly racing away, rapidly enter the elevator and frantically pressing a button multiple times, before turning back and waving meekly as the door closed. Turning back to face Nick, the lone Razorback continued his speech as if nothing had happened, "one civilian who is far stronger than him!"

"What good has always done to evil," Nick confidently replied, "defeat it."

"Oh look at you, Mr Freedom Fighter," Swinton suddenly cut in, angrily marching in front of Wurst, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "But to everyone else, you're a terrorist. You almost killed tens, if not hundreds. You terrified the residents of little Rodentia, who've only now begun to forget what you did due to the errant Frisbee incident of 12:30 this afternoon, before causing hysteria up in the cloud forest district. And here you are, saying that you'll kill or overthrow an elected official. Your lot makes me sick!"

"Says the Mayor who sends out an agent to turn Preds Savage to boost her ratings! Says the mayor who's destroying Pred lives and putting Prey at risk by turning us into monsters! But when you sent your Wolf friend down to my theme park, you were messing with the wrong Fox. Where is he? I can smell him, he's in here hiding somewhere! Come out you coward!"

Swinton and Wurst were taken aback by the outburst, with the latter twirling his finger over his head as he turned to face the mayor, showing just what he was gauging from Nick's speech. Taking charge again, Swinton spoke up. "You're mad," she angrily shouted, "stark raving mad. I suppose you must have been to even consider your enterprise when we all knew the risks. But then again, there are always some who wish to tear down the safety and order generations worked tirelessly to create. You, Mr Wilde, are the most deluded, uncivilised member of the least respectable and most uncivilised species, of the most uncivilised order of mammals in this city! I can't imagine the horror of what will happen if you get your way, though I fear it'll be similar to what you did to that poor innocent Bunny!"

"Made her a better mammal?" Judy shouted, getting up behind Nick and holding him tight. "Making her kinder? Making her realise that what we do to the Preds in this city is wrong? Nick here is the nicest, kindest mammal I know, and soon the collars will be off and you'll be in jail, a footnote in history!"

Swinton stepped back in shock, her head rapidly scanning from Nick to Judy and from Judy to Nick. Then she breathed in and sighed, her eyes rolling before she spoke. "Kindness doesn't keep people safe," she wearily said, "deluded optimism doesn't put food on the table. Nothing can be done without sacrifice, that's as equal a truth as 1 plus 1 equalling two or my tail being curly. Judy… let me just say that, despite still being impressed at what you've achieved… I'm disappointed…"

And then there was a ping, the elevator at the back opening to reveal Woolly and the two other Razorbacks, armed to the teeth. Nick and Judy looked at each other immediately as they backed off, before shouting "RUN!" in unison, and legging it.


	29. Chapter 29

_"There's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye,_

_And a blade shining, oh, so bright."_

.

**Chapter 29:**

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Shooting out onto the balcony, past the columns holding up the massive palm fronds that adorned the top of the tower, past the large swimming pool and the sun loungers, Nick and Judy grabbed the railings and vaulted over, leaping off into the void. Having studied the building before, they knew that they were above the roof of the rotating restaurant, although they never thought they would use that information. Nick landed onto the green plastic roof first, bouncing off of it on his first landing before he started to tumble down towards the edge. The slippery plastic had nothing to find purchase on, made even worse by the fact that it was slowly spinning, the centrifugal force combining with gravity as it tried to pull him off to his death. Nick, however, had an ace up his sleeve as he extended his claws, letting them dig in and hold him still, just a few meters from the edge. There was a panicked wail, and Nick quickly undug one paw and used it to catch Judy, holding her still as they carried on around.

"Well this is an interesting turn in events," Nick quipped, as he looked down and smiled, relieved that Judy still had the case.

"Not the time, Slick," she wheezed out between her deep breaths, before she gulped and spoke out more confidently, "I've also got the recording and the briefcase… not that she spilled anything…"

"I know!" Nick complained, "I thought all villains monologued! I mean how else are the good guys supposed to win or know what the evil plan is?"

"We're not in an action film Nick…"

"We're three hundred meters up on the roof of a revolving restaurant with evidence of a political conspiracy in our paws…" Nick said, a cocky grin on his face before he gestured down to the cable car just below them, departing from the docking station and slowly making its way down. "Now let's hijack that cable car and get out of here!"

Before she could react, Nick retracted his claws and both he and Judy slid down, flying into the air screaming before landing hard on the cables. Clinging desperately to both Judy and the wires as he rolled upside down, swinging precariously beneath them; Nick loosened his grip and let himself slide down the grease lines towards the car, picking up speed and finally letting go when they were above it. The two mammals fell for the final time, landing hard on the exposed section of deck at the back of the empty cabin with a thud. Turning to Judy, Nick helped her up and looked on concerned, ready to ask her how she was until she gave him a firm thumb up, along with a proud grin plastered on her face, congratulating the pair for their daring escape. Finally out of mortal peril, Nick let himself relax a bit (which was so much nicer now that he wasn't forced to do it in order to avoid a shock), before peering over the edge and at the district below.

Music, pouring out of hundreds of nightclubs and music performances, was rising up to meet them as they descended serenely towards the buzzing township. All the resident mammals who'd spent the mid-day sun sleeping or relaxing were coming out in droves for both work and partying, with the famous Saharan nightlife in full swing. All lit up, like thousands of multi-coloured jewels scattered against a black velvet cloth, the town would be full of seething crowds into which they could disappear. Then they would find the car, drive over to Honey's and unpack the evidence. Simples…

"Uh, Nick?"

"Yes Carrots", Nick warmly said, his head rising up to look at her, before spotting her concerned gaze staring back up at the Palm hotel. Looking up, Nick gulped as he saw the three Razorbacks rapidly descending the wires, grinding down beneath a bunch of metal coat hangers as if they were on a zip line, a stream of bright sparks and a screaming grinding sound following them. His face dropped, eyes staring out in disbelief as he nervously chuckled, turning back to Judy.

"Here I was thinking things would be easy…"

"Well whose fault is that!" Judy replied, as she grabbed his hand and raced towards the front of the cabin, hauling a helpless Nick with her.

.

Rapidly approaching the cable car, all three Razorback members let go of their hangers and landed hard on the back deck in formation, their weapons immediately drawn and trained in front of them. Glancing left and right, scanning and sniffing intently as they advanced into the cabin proper, they slowly made their way down the corridor until they halted, weapons pointed in unison at the Fox standing in front of them.

"You just ruined a very nice evening for me, and someone I quite like," Wurst almost growled, the furious Boar taking the lead while the two other members stood behind him, ready and waiting.

"I apologise," Nick nonchalantly shrugged, "Mr Woolly did not deserve to be dragged into this."

"Shut your trap, Fox!"

"I thought we had this conversation before, my name's Nick Wi…"

"ENOUGH!" the enraged Boar screamed, as he put down his tranquiliser gun and brought out a small box with a red button in it. "You know what this is?" he said in his most intimidating, menacing, cruel and smug voice.

"It's a box with a big red button on it!" Nick exclaimed, acting genuinely excited before his wide mouth began shaking as he chuckled. Leaning back onto the rail, Nick maintained his wide smile as he casually opened his paw out, as if he was making a business offer. "I've always wanted one of those."

Wurst huffed slightly, before glancing back at his two partners and smiling. "This is going to be fun!" He slammed down the button, his mouth opened in a wide, toothy, maniacal grin, which immediately fell into a look a sheer perplexion when nothing happened. "Wha…" he muttered, rapidly pressing the button several times, each futile attempt at trying to summon the debilitating shock failing one after the other.

Smiling, Nick brought his paw up to his collar and clicked the mood light several times, the device quickly unlocking and coming off. "Remember this thing?" he cockily asked, as he refastened the device around his neck.

While his two underlings looked on in shock, their leader, the battle scared grey boar, snorted before screaming out. "Tranquilisers!" In less than a second, all three members of the elite squad had tranquiliser guns out and aimed at Nick, ready to knock him out.

"I shall strike down on you," he growled, "with great…."

There was a sudden POP! Frank Hunter look on with wide, startled eyes, before he collapsed backwards onto the floor, a tranquiliser dart stuck in the side of his chest. Pulling their weapons off Nick, the two remaining members of the team swung them around to where the shot seemed to have come from, before Judy leapt out from beneath the seats and lunged straight for them.

Shooting towards one, Judy felt two darts skim past her, before her feet collided hard against the snout of the teams 'quiet man'. Peter Roni wasn't quiet this time, screaming in pain as he was thrown back into the seats, before roaring in anger as he lunged forwards, his fists smashing at Judy in a furious attempt to knock the rabbit out. She dodged them all, rolling and kicking away so that they always glanced just past her and dented the floor or walls, rather than being the knock outs that they could be had she been less than a second slower. His pace and persistence were remorseless, the Razorback racing around in pursuit as Judy began scurrying beneath the seats, which were suddenly being torn clean off their mountings and thrown away, reducing her cover more and more with every second. Panic began flashing across Judy's mind, she'd actually attacked the Razorbacks! The greatest TUSK squad in the history of Zootopia! Sure, the first strike had been easy, but that had been in an ambush. How could Judy hope to win in a one on one! Concern, genuine concern laced with fear, began coursing through Judy's mind, and her rapidly twitching nose and wide eyes showed it all. How could she win in hand to hand combat against this opponent? And then it hit her, she wouldn't. Glancing to her left, Judy saw what she was looking for and began making her way over, edging ever closer while continually shifting her body to avoid the flurry of punches and kicks heading her way. First crawling on her back, then squatting, then crawling face down, Judy grabbed the small item she'd been seeking and turned to face her opponent, before kicking hard with her legs and leaping forwards; flying through her assailant's legs while stabbing one with the stray tranquiliser dart in her paw before landing in a roll. Her balance completely lost, Judy tumbled along before stopping, instinctively tensing up. Bracing, her arms crossed to protect her face, she paused before looking over at her adversary. Kneeling down, limbs trembling, he'd pulled the dart out and held it in his hand, staring at it almost quizzically as he tried to register what had happened. But then it slipped through his trotters, dropping to the floor and tumbling away, before he lost his battle with the drugs coursing through his veins and collapsed onto the ground. Judy had won.

"Well done, Officer Hopps!" came a smug shout from behind. Judy turned to face it but recoiled in horror, as she saw Brad Wurst holding Nick firmly in a chokehold. The Fox's arms were pinned painfully behind his back, his neck constricted by a thick arm, his legs desperately trying to do something but merely kicking and scratching the floor pointlessly. His breaths were reduced to pained wheezes as his captor grinned with his victory, and began to boastfully speak to his remaining opponent. "I can't lie… I am impressed, I truly am. Heck, in better circumstances I'd recommend you to join our squad! You've certainly proved yourself, you would make a fine addition… shame that you're helping an escaped convict though. Double shame you're mad. Here you are, first Bunny Officer, and you've betrayed everything your badge ever stood for…"

Judy looked on, breathing deeply as she maintained her firm, unflinching gaze before she spat and on the ground and spoke up, her voice proud and unwaveringly confident. "No… You may be a good person working for the bad. You may be rotten to the core. But if I don't help Nick… that's when I betray what my badge stands for." Judy gave a quick smile and took a step back, before turning and racing off into the back of the cabin, vanishing as she went out onto the deck.

Still holding his arm tightly around Nick, Brad's eyes widened slightly with confusion, before he looked down at his captive and smugly joked. "I thought the betraying stuff was your species' thing…?"

Before he could get a (non-verbal) response a sudden bang rang out, the entire cabin shaking slightly. His brows furrowing, Brad looked up in confusion, before a second bang rang out and the entire cabin surged forward. Thrown forward, the last remaining Razorback landed hard on his captive, his grip momentarily releasing as he tried to regain his balance and composure. But, free from the choking hold, Nick flipped onto his back and kicked up with his arms and legs, raising the Boar above the level of the front decks railings just as the entire car came crashing to a halt in the bottom station. Before he had time to register what was going on, Brad's momentum sent him flying forward, off Nick's feet and skimming over the railing. He smashed feet first into the back wall of the lower station, before crumpling into a bent, moaning heap on the floor.

"You OK Slick?" Judy cried, peering over the roof of the cabin before hopping down and helping him up.

"I'm good," Nick replied, leaning over to grab the briefcase before racing to the door, Judy in tow. Turning back as she left, she looked at the two sleeping officers in the cabin and smiled.

"They look so peaceful," she slyly observed, "If I had time I'd give those pigs some blankets."

As Judy jogged out past him, Nick rolled his eyes at the poor joke before sighing. "You really ham-fisted that one in," he cried, before racing after her.

.

.

.

Running from the sky car station and into the district, the two mammals ducked into a side alley as a squad of police cars raced past, their sirens blaring intently. Carefully peeking out, Judy could already see that the ZPD was out in force, hunting and scanning for the two wanted mammals in every nook and cranny. It would only be a matter of time until they were found out.

"Any ideas on how to get through to the car?" Judy whispered, turning to Nick for some help.

"I've got a better idea," Nick quietly replied, before he turned and began sprinting off, Judy in tow. Turning right, Nick led her into a litter strewn alley before jumping onto a chain link fence that separated pedestrians from a railway line, slowly clambering over with Judy not far behind. As they both reached the top, Judy's ears pricked and she shot out a hand to grab Nick, before gesturing to their right. Sure enough, a massive locomotive, the head of a huge freight train, was rapidly approaching. Looking at each other and nodding, the two slipped off and landed on the gravel ballast, just as the train began to rumble past menacingly. They turned and ran, their muscles burning in order to get them up to speed as car after car overtook them, the trains rear end getting dangerously close with every second that passed. Glancing behind her, Judy dropped behind Nick before leaping onto an open box car with the briefcase, deftly whipped from his paws mid leap. Placing it down before firmly grasping a nearby iron handle, she held out a paw for Nick who latched on and hauled himself in. Tumbling into her, the two rolled across the floor deep in breath, exhausted from their recent experience. But then, as relief at their success as well as their genuine victory against the razorbacks began to surface, their tired pants transformed into chuckles and then cheering, as they whooped and patted each other on the back in celebration.

"What now?" Judy eagerly asked, gentling nudging Nick in the side as she grabbed the briefcase and stood up, peering at the city flying by outside.

Taking a break from his celebrations, Nick paused to think for a bit, his mouth tuckering up into one corner, before he decided on his answer. "If I remember correctly this train shoots straight through Downtown and out through the rainforest district. We just find a place to get off, pop into Honey's and break that thing open."

"What do you think's in there?" Judy curiously asked, while she watched the river separating Sahara square from Savannah central roll past, before the buildings of downtown began shooting by, towering overhead like the cliffs of a great canyon.

"Hopefully something the Wolf will really miss," Nick shrugged, before his eyes slowly began to widen as his nose sniffed the air, and a familiar and menacing voice pierced the air.

"Something I won't miss for long, Laddy!"

Both Nick and Judy turned to each other, panic flooding through their minds, as they began to look around, desperately trying to find the voices owner. Judy hadn't heard him with this accent before, but Nick's mind shot straight back to the night at Wild Times, when Lupus savage had taunted him before ruining his life.

"Lupus you coward!" Nick screamed, grabbing the case and holding it tight against him. "I know your plan!"

"I would quite like to hear it," the tangy Scottish voice taunted, as it filled the room again.

"Turn innocent Preds savage," Judy began, shouting out as she and Nick circled each other in the centre of the car, their backs against each other's as they desperately tried to prevent the Wolf from catching them unawares. "Make the government order a new batch of ultra-strength collars! Get rich from your investments…"

"Oh…" he crooned, mockingly. "So near… yet so far…"

"You're betraying the future of all Preds in this city, even yourself, for money!" Nick screamed out. "You know what these things do… why are you doing this? Does… does the mayor have your family hostage or something. We can help, we can…."

Nick faded off as he heard the Wolf laugh, a deep rolling laugh that filled the entire cabin as its owner bellowed it out. Nick could almost imagine him now, muzzle wide open and back hunched over, slamming his foot down on the roof…. Nick's eyes shot open with the realization and, looking up, he heard the pounding of feet on the cabins roof and saw errant streaks of dust falling down from the supporting beams and to the floor. Sniffing to confirm it, Nick realised that that was where Savage was. His mind suddenly thinking in overdrive, Nick looked down and grabbed Judy's shoulder, shaking it for attention and pointing to the roof. As she nodded with understanding, he knelt down and turned towards an iron grill inset into the cars back. Yanking it off, the sound muffled by the rattling of the trains wheels and the Wolf's omnipresent laughs, the two crawled through. Popping out the other side with the suitcase hanging from his jaw, Nick suddenly paused for thought, looking on as the railway sleepers shot by beneath him at a terrifying pace. Feeling Judy give him a tough nudge from behind, he nervously gulped and pushed through his rising fear, grabbing the side of a service ladder nearby and tentatively lowering his foot in order to rest it onto one of the cars buffer. Following suit, Judy swung herself out while Nick leant over to grab the car in front, only for his eyes to open wide with horror as Judy began to climb the ladder on the car they had just exited rather than follow him.

Keeping her ears down, Judy carefully peeked over the box cars wall, her eyes settling on the silhouette of their enemy. Still chuckling, though Judy couldn't understand what he found so funny, he was circling around the roof, a gun idly twirling in his hand and the wind whipping at his fur and tail while his trench coat billowed about. Frowning as she thought, Judy knew that he was waiting for them to make the first move. He didn't know how to get them, so he was taunting them, trying to goad them out where he could finish them off. It didn't require much thought to realize what that gun fired, and how much trouble they would be in if Nick got hit. Her nose twitching intently, Judy kept on looking with her brooding, half lidded eyes, until they snapped open in shock as she felt her tail being pulled back. Diving back down and turning to face Nick, giving him the best death glare she could muster, she watched him back off with a slight tinge of fear before gesturing down at the coupling that connected the two cars together. Judy glanced down and gave Nick the thumbs up in understanding, before he balanced the case beside him and they leapt to work.

Grabbing the turnscrew in the centre of the linking chain, the two mammals began to heave as they spun the lever around and around, loosening the link and adding slack to the chain, the slowly forming void between the buffers the tell-tale sign of their success. The gap was widening, the chain ever more slack as Nick and Judy worked at the heavy metal component, which had been designed for handling via Rhino's and Hippo's rather than mammals of their size. The grease it was coated in soaked into their fur and slicked up their paw pads, their hands beginning to slip as they unscrewed the coupling to its furthest extent. Looking at each other and nodding, Judy jumped onto the leading cart and reached down to grasp the heavy metal chain, ready to haul it off and leave Mr Savage adrift.

"3,2,1," Nick muttered, before they both pulled back with all their force, their mouths groaning and their muscles burning as they pulled up at the chain, only for it to stay put as the drag of the cars behind kept it tight. Their hands slipping off at the same time, Nick and Judy slammed into the back of the leading cart with a thud, propelled by their aching leg muscles. Huffing from exhaustion, Nick couldn't give a chuckle as he turned to Judy and smiled. "I didn't think this through, did I?"

"No you didn't!" cried a familiar voice from above, and Nick and Judy recoiled in terror as they saw the Wolf standing above them, silhouetted against the night sky and passing trees while his gun was pointed menacingly down at them. Grinning widely, he used the chance to give one last final boast to his victims, before dispatching them. "I've enjoyed this, I really have. But now, I'm sad to say, you two thorns in my side are doomed."

A finger slowly rose up to cock the gun with a loud metallic click, before the smug grin on Savage's mouth faded and his eyes shot open, immediately followed by Judy's feet slamming into his chest, the gun sent flying off into the midst of the rainforest district behind them. Grabbing him by his tame collar, the two mammals flew backwards and tumbled along the roof of the cabin till they skidded to a stop. Pulling his head up, Judy slammed it down hard onto the metal surface, creating an almighty clang and dazing him as the furious Bunny made her next move. Raising her clenched fist up, Judy slammed it into the Wolfs muzzle, her skin stinging as it hit the tough jaw, before she pulled it back and hit again and again, each time fighting through the screaming pain as she worked away. Finally, jumping up and bringing her fist down with all her energy, she gave one final coup de grace, a sickening crack ringing out from his jaw as Judy screamed. Standing up, her face clenched as she shook out her bruised hand and its contorted fingers, trying to wring the agony from it, her gaze looked down again and settled on the Wolf's eyes, which focussed in on her.

"Trying to hurt me, are you?" he jovially asked, smiling as he shrugged before continuing on, "that's cute…" Before she could react, Judy felt Lupus' arm slam into her chest, sending her flying back and tumbling across the roof screaming. Splaying her arms out to stop herself going over the edge, she stood up, trembling from exhaustion as she did so and readying herself into a fighting position, her raised fists in front of her as she prepared to battle once more with the menacing figure looming above her.

"You are a wee little minx, aren't we?" he said as condescendingly as he could. "Too bad it ends here, I'm afraid. I'm one who plays dirty…"

"And so am I," Judy growled back, before lifting her head high and howling at the top of her lungs. "AWOOOOOO!"

Her face unwinding from the strain of her cry, she turned to face the Wolf again before pulling back in shock, her eyes widening with confusion as she saw him chuckle in front of her, completely unfazed by the instinctual call. "Trying to start a howl, I see," he chuckled, "how very cute."

"Never call a Bunny Cute!" came a shout from behind, Lupus turning just in time to see Nick's feet smash into his face, the Fox clinging onto a hanging vine with the briefcase under his elbow. As he was sent tumbling head over heels, Judy leapt up and grabbed hold of Nick, before watching Savage land with a thud in a trailing coal wagon as it, and the rest of the train, raced off into the distant depths of the rainforest district and the great beyond. The two friends looked at each other with giant smiles on their faces as they swung back and forth, before winking at each other and sliding down the vine to the ground.


	30. Chapter 30

_"This time tomorrow, what will we know?"_

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**Chapter 30:**

.

There was a click, a thin line of orange racing across the jet blackness, before it widened and light poured in. Opening out like a gaping mouth, five eagerly excited faces looked on. Their mouths and eyes were open with anticipation, their ears up and alert. But, as the light shone on the contents of the briefcase, the looks on the faces of the quintet of mammals faded, replaced by utter disappointment.

"Aw Slick…" Honey despondently groaned as she pushed forward, "you've only recovered a bunch of boring old papers!"

Honey wasn't lying, that was for sure. The briefcase was stacked up with neatly ordered books and paper sheets wrapped in plastic binders or held together with discrete paper clips and staples. Picking two up, Honey thrust one into Clawhausers arms before retreating back to her seat, idly flicking through it.

"Well, what did we expect?" Judy said, straining to be optimistic as she turned around and address the crowd, only for her voice to tinge with sarcasm. "A single piece of ultra-incriminating evidence. A video diary revealing all her plans.  A recorded confession? This stuff could still be useful!"

"Not at getting rid of the mayor or getting us all off the hook, that's for sure," Honey muttered, before her ears picked up and she began scanning through her bunch of papers. Suddenly quite excited, she hurried back to the briefcase, grabbing some more stuff out. In each occasion, she scanned the title and then flipped through to near the back, skimming through what was there while a grin on her mouth got wider and wider.

"I assume; I've found something interesting though?" Judy asked, her voice almost as sassy as Honey's as she leant on the wall and smirked, watching Honey's rapid scanning.

"Hey!" Nick shot out, gently elbowing Judy in her side and drawing a sly glare, "Remember who found that thing! Besides, knowing our luck it'll be something sheep related."

"Oh no Slick," Honey replied, begging to chuckle maniacally, "we've got something a whole lot better than that!"

Nick paused, his face puckering up with interest, "Pray tell what would that be."

"These things, these documents," Honey excitedly began, "are all thesis's and dissertations and the like. And all of them are on the same subject…!"

"Which is?" Nick asked, after a few seconds of Honey's dramatic pause.

"Guess!" Honey ordered eagerly.

"No idea," Nick shrugged back, "tell me."

"Nope! Guess!"

Nick's right eye twitched slightly, before he slowly shook his head and groaned, "I'm not in the mood Honey, please just tell me."

Honey's excited grin faded somewhat, replaced by a slight scowl. "I said guess," she said again, slowly drawing out each word to emphasise her point.

"Honey," Judy gently said, catching the Honey badger's attention. "Please just tell us."

She just gave a heavy shrug of her shoulders, before diverting her scowling gaze to the floor. "Why are you guys and gal no fun!" she angrily grovelled, before shouting. "Just Guess! Can't Ya?"

"Predator behaviour," Clawhauser meekly said, as Honey turned her gaze over to him and the book he was reading, her eyes giving an exaggerated roll as they did so. "You win, spoilsport…" she quietly muttered, before shaking her head and getting back onto topic in a more normal voice. "All of them investigate savagery, or neuroscience, or just plain old aggression. And all come back saying that, though us Preds tend to take more risks and stuff, we aren't innately more violent! Even without the collars!" With the curious gaze of all mammals on her, Honey's voice picked up to its usual excitement, getting faster and faster as she went on. "I mean, some of these are using crime statistics from before the collars were invented. The worst thing you can take from this is that some Wolves act like a bunch of rowdy teens from time to time and need a light whack on their rear… or that people make a lot of petty complaints that don't stick to Foxes… The serious stuff like killing though, Pred and Prey do it almost equally, while savagery… it's complete hoccum!"

"So, what were they doing in the big-bads place, huh?" Finnick asked as he wandered over to the case and began taking out the files, neatly stacking them on the tables nearby.

"They're all unpublished," Judy quietly said as she joined Finnick, sifting through the files while recounting her university days. "All marked, but unpublished. I think that they were being collected for destruction, so as to hide the truth."

"OH EM GOODNESS!" came a sudden shout, all eyes turning to Clawhauser, his eyes wide with shock and mouth gasping open, while his hands were tucked beneath his flabby chin.

"I know; you're tell…." Nick began in agreement, before pausing as his gaze followed Clawhauser as the rotund Cheetah walked straight past him and to the pile of documents next to the briefcase. Sorting through the papers, everyone looked on with curious eyes and tilted heads to the side (ears flopping about above them) as he sifted through and grabbed something, holding it tight to his chest and squealing with glee.

"You found something Benny?" Honey curiously asked, as he spun around, revealing the tickets in his hands.

"Animalia tickets!"

"Really…?" Finnick half spat out, glaring at the cheetah as he did so.

"What?"

"That stuff is a whole load of pro-collar mumbo jumbo!" the Fennec replied, bitterly dismissive. "'Peace through understanding…' I mean, come on! What next, strength through unity? You remember the last one, where everyone celebrated those cannibal wolves bowing down to those caribou angels and gladly embracing their collars?"

"OK…" Clawhauser shrugged, before picking up again, "but it has Gazelle performing!"

The diminutive Fox gave a muted chuckle before glancing away, "I was trying to only talk about the good bits, you know Ben."

"Hey!" Clawhauser shot back, "Don't insult Gazelle! She's an angel with horns!"

"Only a mega fanboy like you could be in denial about how much of that stuffs glitter coated garbage."

"Says the one who listens to French Rap."

"Je parle la langue , je reçois un laissez-passer gratuit."

"Show off…" Clawhauser shrugged, about to carry on only to be cut off.

"التعامل معها"

"…" was all that Clawhauser managed to reply, the big cat pulling back and squinting in silence as Finnick let loose a mysterious sentence in what must have been Arabic. Knowing that his friend could easily insult him in three foreign tongues, the Cheetah paused with defeat, only for Finnick to cut back in again in English.

"Cat got you tongue, fanboy?" the Fennec gratingly teased, "Or shall I break out the Berber."

"Berber of Beaver…"

Finnick recoiled back, looking down and thinking before growling out menacingly, his sounds and the tone of the following words sending shivers down the spines of all mammals in attendance. "Do you want me to genuinely bite your face off, Fanboy?"

"You realise that calling me a Fanboy doesn't insult me," Clawhauser said dismissively, shrugging before he began to boast. "I am a fan-boy. A great Fanboy! Number two in Zootopia, and I wear that as my armour so no-one can hurt me with it!" The proud reply silenced the bunker, until Judy quietly spoke up.

"Number 2?" she asked, half confused half curious, as Clawhauser smiled and got out his phone.

"It's my rating on the Gazelle App," he eagerly said, as he booted up the titular program and scooted over, sitting next to Judy and pulling her up so she could see as he pointed out the features. "You get points for creating art and stuff, and answering the quiz questions…. Oooh! Have I shown you guys the dancing Tiger thing?"

"YES!" Finnick loudly replied, while Honey merely nodded, in what amounted to a futile gesture as loud cheesy music began to play, before the phone was turned to show the room Gazelle and one of her Tiger dancers, his face painted over with a photo of Clawhauser's.

" _Wow, you are one great dancer,"_  the recorded voice of gazelle complemented, before a harsher electronic version took over. "BENJAMIN CLAWHAUSER"

"Isn't this sooo cooool," the gleeful cheetah exclaimed, "look at that, isn't it me…? Isn't it…?" With a sigh, Clawhauser put the phone away before glumly finishing off, "It's not…."

"I'm surprised you're not numero uno." Nick casually observed, with Judy smirking and nodding in agreement before piquing her face, thinking something over.

"Who is number one?" she calmly asked.

"I don't know his real name," Clawhauser said, as he began to tap furiously at his phone, "but he and I share a lot of our stuff together, let me get him dancing with me." With a click the music was back at full tempo, and turning the phone Clawhauser revealed the same scene as before, only with a second dancer to Gazelles left, with the face of a grizzled yet smiling cape buffalo plastered over it. "Any idea who that is?"

"It rings a bell," Nick mused, before shaking his head. "Probably nothing, isn't that right Fluff? …Fluff?" Nick looked over in concern at Judy, who was staring at the phone screen like a deer stuck in headlights. Nick even tried to wave his paw in front of her, but her gaze remained fixed straight on, even when she stuck up her own paw to grab his arm, stopping Nick from distracting her.

"OK you bunch of Vixens!" Finnick shouted, finally getting the others attention as he began to angrily talk, impatiently pacing across the bunker floor and shaking his arms around while at it. "We've found out stuff that us Preds have known since time immemorial, but that still doesn't change the fact that you guys got us nothing that can tie Swinton down."

"Hey…" Nick angrily shot back, "In the last few hours I was almost killed…" (Nick paused as he looked down at his paws, counting on them while his head was held high, lower jaw twitching as he recounted the recent events) "three times! And all you've done is stay put in this Bunker. At least I retrieved the Wolf's weapon and ammo supply, he'll be out of action for a while."

The mammals in the room turned to face the weapon in question, lying alone in a plastic evidence bag on a table, before Finnick's voice drew their gaze back to him. "Hey! If there was something I could do, I would do it. OK?"

"Sure…" Nick huffed, turning away.

Rolling his eyes Finnick sighed before speaking up again, his arms out in front of him as if he were begging while his voice sounded almost apologetic, "I'm sorry Bro, I'm still not used to keeping my temper under control without my collar buzzing me every day. Besides, all we've done so far has produced what… some student projects, some concert tickets and a card for a sheep bar."

"Sheep Bar!" Honey suddenly exclaimed, her eyes widening in a mixture of excitement and panic as she practically jumped up off her seat, glancing around.

"Cool your jets Honeybun," Finnick said, waving Honey down as he calmly carried on. "It's just this crummy Cloven Hoof place or whatever."

The last sentence rang out and echoed around the bunker. Honey, immediately shooting to her computer, began tapping away excitedly while giving the occasional glance at her conspiracy board. The others shrugged, resigning back to the long wait, except for Judy who was holding her head with her paw, tapping it furiously and moaning.

"All right Carrots?" Nick asked, concerned at Judy's strange behaviour.

"Cloven hoof… Cloven hoof…" she murmured, "I swear it rings a bell. I just can't figure it out."

"Don't blow a fuse fluff," he quipped, before turning back to the Wolf's gun, which he and Judy had recovered, chipped and cracked, from the railway, "I mean, we still need you for other stuff. You're the only one here who might recognise the make of our Lupus's gun."

Judy's eyes opened wide with realisation and she jumped up screaming, "THE WOLF! THAT'S IT! THAT'S WHERE I RECOGNISE IT FROM."

"Say wha?" Nick asked, pivoting around to look at Judy, who's mind was shooting back and forth in thought.

"Back at his place, there was another business card for the same establishment... That must be where he gets his orders from."

Nick's eyes opened with the realization and he carried on Judy's revelation excitedly, "the Mayors assistant, Woolly! They must exchange goods and orders there!"

"Might not just be Woolly," Honey piped in, before Clawhauser took over. "Might be all of them!" As the three other mammals sighed and rolled their eyes, Honey and Clawhauser looked at each other and gave themselves big grins, high-fiving in celebration of their like mindedness.

"Well, whatever it is, we should investigate," Judy suggested, "try and eavesdrop on the conversations."

"We can't go in there!" Honey shouted back, her face awash with horror. "They'll dip and shear us before we can say redcurrant jelly!"

"Besides," Clawhauser glumly added, "It could be days before they come in, and their meeting might be five minutes at most."

"Unless," Honey interrupted, her face lighting up as she came up with a plan, "we bug the place!" Turning around, she dove into a nest of boxes at the bottom of a pile, rustling them around before grabbing an unassuming one full of little items. Grabbing one of the odd things in her hands and holding it up high and proud, she smiled as she looked at it and explained its function. "Each one of these little beasties comes with a camera, a recorder and their own transmitter" she announced, thrusting out a mollycoddle of electronic devices soldered onto a board and showing it off to each of the curious mammals. "They feed their info to a beefy hub that then transmits all the data straight to us! We just need someone small and good with disguises to sneak around and plant them!"

The room fell quiet for a few seconds, before Nick, Judy, Clawhauser and Honey all turned in unison to face Finnick, unnerving grins plastered on their faces. The little Fennec looked on perplexed, his confused head tilting far to the side and ludicrous ears flopping about, before his head tilted upright again and his eyes began to open with horror. Mouth open and trembling, he glanced desperately at each and every one of his friends, frantically trying to see if what he thought was wrong. "Please no…" he begged, hands out and shaking, only to receive wider grins and eager nods in return from his companions.

Nick gave a chuckle, and turned to face Judy. "As an officer of the law," he whimsically mused, his eyes tilted up and paw rapping on his muzzle, as he idly bounced up and down on his heels. "Would you not be a trustworthy witness to little Finn saying that… 'if there was something I could do; I'd do it'."

"Don't push me little Bro...!"

"Well Nick," Judy warmly replied, "I am, and he most certainly did."

Smiling, Nick clapped his hands together and rubbed them with glee, before turning to face Honey and Clawhauser. "I'll get my sewing stuff from upstairs while you look deeper into the research stuff… I'm a bit rusty, but I think I'll quite enjoy making a little lamb costume."

"AW HELL NO!"


	31. Chapter 31

 

_"If I swallow something evil,_

_Stick your finger down my throat."_

.

- **Chapter 31** -

.

.

Night had fallen and the towers of downtown were lit up brightly, as a red sports car drove down the freeway. Rapidly descending with the road, as they dropped down from the hilly centre of the city towards the ever approaching waterline in the distance, Nick gave a quick glance to his right. Over the bridges safety barrier, he could see where the normal incline of the hill dropped off in a small but steep cliff, massive chunks of exposed rock still present albeit covered in buildings that clung to it like lichen or, if they had been by the ocean, like limpets. While the rest of the city shone bright, the alleyways by the cliff face were suspiciously dark and gloomy, a tell-tale river of black in the bright city lights. Flicking his indicator and turning off, Nick drove down the slip road and into what was likely the seediest part of the city outside of his native Happytown. While it hadn't been left abandoned to decay into nothing like Nick's old neighbourhood, this place was worn and tired. All the buildings had thick shutters pulled down across their doors and storefronts while large, rusting bars were bolted across their narrow windows. The facing plaster, which once covered every building, was chipping and peeling off everywhere and revealing the plain, dull brickwork that lay beneath. Even the road was suffering and, although still perfectly functional, it was littered with pebbles, rubble and even the odd ruin of a wheel-less car here or there. Pulling into a small alley, Nick turned the engine off and pulled back the handbrake hard, before exiting and strolling around to the passenger side, letting Judy out and bowing as he did so.

"Thank you Parker," Judy joked, to which Nick, who stiffed up his limbs and began jauntily moving around while speaking in an attempted British accent, replied with a courteous, "Yes, Milady"

"ARE YOU ABOUT DONE!" came a shout from behind, as Finnick hopped out of the car, dressed in a very convincing dwarf sheep disguise. Sewn together were bits of loft insulation, plastic and some horns from a Halloween mask, it would fool anyone who was at least mildly drunk.

"No," Judy shrugged, as Finnick barged past them and marched off. As he rounded a corner, Nick and Judy glanced around and laid their eyes on the bar. Built at street level into one of the rocks of the cliff face, its dingy ground floor was lit up with harsh blue fluorescent lights, the only sense of warmth coming from the orange neon light fixed above it. A large advertising sign hung nearby, proudly stating that it offered dart games, hay cans and corn for $5. Nick grunted, however, as his eyes rose to the top of the board and settled on the biggest draw of all, 'No Preds.' Fortunately, that rule was now effectively null and void as Finnick strolled up to the door and let himself in. Pulling back into the alley, his head hidden from view, Nick nodded to Judy.

"There's nothing we can do now, we just sit here and stay quiet." And then Judy's phone rang. Her eyes widening with panic, she pressed the receive button with her finger and held the device up to her ears.

"Not now!" she quietly urged, before her mouth piqued at the mumbling coming out from the receiver. "OK, fine," she eventually huffed, before urging the caller to, "keep quiet, OK." With a click, she put it onto speaker phone, and Honey's voice came out.

"How's it going?"

"Finnick's in, should be receiving the first signal shortly," Nick casually replied.

"OK, good, but I have some big news!"

"Go on…"

"There have been no published reports on savagery or Pred aggression for years, but from what I gather loads of students and professors do it!"

"I've been on message boards," Clawhauser added, "loads of students are interested, but complain that they can't find last year's work. And when someone recommends a book or a record, someone else will come back saying it was removed or gone!"

"You know what this means?" Honey excitedly asked, with Judy giving the grim answer.

"Someone is destroying any evidence that collars are unneeded. They're censoring it all."

"Not all of it!" Clawhauser urged, "I've gathered enough, along with what we've already got, and I'm going to make a summary! We email bomb it to the city when the time is right…"

"And there's nothing that can be done about it," Nick finished, his muzzle widening into a proud grin.

"Wait," Honey suddenly shot out, "I've got the signal from the hub unit. Finnick should be putting down the recorders any minute now."

.

.

The inside of the bar was gloomy and austere, its worn wooden floor holding up several chipped tables and mouldy chairs, along with a pool table who's felt was horrifically torn and often folded over, so that it hung over the lip and swayed in the breeze. Large rams filled the entire space, although an occasional goat or Ewe waitress could be seen, drinking at the bar or flirting as they delivered trays of drinks and food respectively. Everything was lit up by filament bulbs which were long past their expected burn out date, their meagre and flickering orange light further dulled by the dusty orange lanterns that surrounded them, the glass more often than not cracked and stained. The only other light in the decrepit place came from an even more ancient CRT TV placed behind the bar, its fizzling and sound intermingling with the hum of a blue neon light, advertising 'Woolie Reitherman's' bargain Lager. Along with the occasional clack of snooker balls, and the world weary conversation of the patrons, the dull sitcom being shown was the only sound in the entire place. Overall, it was an establishment that only the most depressed and surly alcoholic would want to stay for any length of time in. It was likely for this reason that they didn't notice the dust falling from an exposed airduct, nor the odd shape moving behind the grills. Crawling through on his hands and knees, Finnick grumbled as he picked out a bugging device and stuck it on to the wall, letting the magnets hold it in place as he twiddled with the camera. Muttering some more bitter words, he spun around and began crawling back the other way.

.

.

"Number 1 is online!" Honey called, with Judy and Nick giving proud thumbs up at the news.

"We'll get this over with and get out ASAP, see you soon!" Judy said, as she hung up the phone and put it in her pocket. Looking up at Nick, they exchanged smiles and began waiting, the time crawling by at a snail's pace as Finnick continued his work. As Judy passed time by glancing at the worn posters advertising things ranging from legal advice to shady wool loss treatments, Nick stepped into the middle of the road to stretch, his mouth twitching around with thought before a large yawn beckoned from his gaping mouth. However, the sounds of a familiar  _Beep! Beep!_ woke him up immediately, the Fox's eyes widening with terror while his ears stood up alert. Pivoting around, they picked up the roar of an engine and he jumped, just as a tiny car raced beneath his tail and drifted to a stop. The Jerks inside looked at each other and grumbled, shouting at each other and banging their fists on the dashboards as they vented their anger at their defeat at each other, trying to pass the blame. However, their squabbling withered away as a shadow moved over them. Looking up and gulping, they saw the silhouette of a Fox fill the sky, before its face hit the rays of light from a lamp and its identity became crystal clear.

"Hello Boys," Nick menacingly announced, before a paw came up and a single claw extended, clicking the green light around his neck three times and deftly removed his fake collar, letting it fall to the ground beside him.

As the device bounced along the floor, rattling as it came to a stop, the Jerks turned to each other and screamed with terror. As their engine roared up and wheels spun, frantically trying to get a grip and race forwards, they braced themselves for their frantic escape. However, before they could so much as move a millimetre, a paw shot down and grabbed the car, hauling it out of the cloud of dust and burning rubber it had kicked up and into the sky, before it reached a level with Nick's face. The screaming Jerks were rendered silent, petrified and hugging each other out of fear as Nick's piercing gaze cut into them, while his muzzle opened into a wide smiling grin. Playfully running his tongue along his deadly teeth, the appendage shaking up and down as it past each razor sharp point, Nick brought up his other paw and with a flick extended his sharpest claw, moving it so it hovered above the terrified gerbils, twitching and nudging the tallest hairs on their heads.

"Bite me," he taunted, before sniffing slightly and letting his muzzle recoil from a new, rather pungent scent. His devious grin widening even more, Nick quickly retreated his paw down to beneath the car and deftly popped all four tires with his sharpest claw, letting the air inside shoot out in an instant. Letting go, Nick's head followed the car as it plummeted, crashing into the ground with a thud as its suspension creaked, groaned and even sheared off in places from the impact. The shaking occupants slammed the car into gear and, with a horrifically strained squeal, they began limping off, their prized vehicle leaning distinctly to one side and shaking about, the strained hum of the engine accompanied by the impotent sound of loose rubber slapping repeatedly on the hard tarmac. As they vanished, a maroon paw came down and picked up the collar, refastening it around Nick's neck. Dusting his paws together out of satisfaction, Nick gave a playful wave goodbye before turning back to Judy.

.

.

Inside a storage room in the bar, a small figure emerged from a grill. Previously snow white, the wool of Finnick's costume was now jet black from the dust, gunk and filth he'd been crawling through. Opening the door and walking out, he sniffed slightly before letting out a bellowing sneeze, and then another, his eyes slamming closed as he wandered straight into the legs of an Ewe waitress.

"Oh, sorry," she said as she looked down, before her eyes widened. "Aww, aren't you the cutest thing."

"Don't call me cute!" Finnick muttered, only to turn up and see the entire bar fixed on him.

"He cute's," came a surly voice from the back, the first of many.

"Isn't he cute?"

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Awww"

"Don't call me cute!" Finnick barked again, hoping to stem the sheep flocking instinct from kicking in.

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Awww"

"He cute's."

"Isn't he cute?"

"He cute's."

"DON'T CALL ME CUTE!"

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Awww"

"He cute's."

"He cute's."

"Isn't he cute?"

"He cute's."

"Isn't he cute?"

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Awww"

"Aren't you the cutest thing?"

"Awww"

"He cute's."

"OK I WARNED YOU!" Finnick screamed, before barging over and snatching a pool cue from a sheep at the pool table. Leaping up onto the green felt surface, he snapped the rod in two on his knee before holding out his two wooden swords, deftly spinning them about while glaring around the establishment furiously. "If I hear the C word one more time…!"

"Awww, He's so adorably cute when he's angry…"

Finnicks eyes scowled, he let out a growl, and leapt forward.

.

.

"Did that feel good?" Judy asked sassily, as Nick smugly walked up to her and leant against the wall. Nick just shrugged, before Judy continued, "Feel like a big Fox?"

Nick chuckled as he removed his collar and turned to Judy. "I saw you there, wishing you still had your ticket machine. Besides, no collar," he casually remarked as he pointed to his bare Neck, before he held his paws flat together and leant the side of his head against them, looking up to the sky with big eyes and cooing. "I'm just a wittle Fox Kit!"

"OK, I still have the urge to ticket them to high heaven. In the meantime, don't get too cute Slick," Judy chuckled back, as Nick rolled his eyes, all the while fishing out the fake collar to put on his neck once more.

"Please," he said dismissively, waving the compliment away with one paw while fastening the collar back on with the other. "I left the cute phase a looong time ago!"

"I think that's a matter of opinion," Judy jokingly replied, shrugging before her ears picked up something and she turned, leaning out of the alley to rest her eyes once more on the cloven hoof.

"What's the problem Fluff?" Nick asked as he looked on, meekly pushing his muzzle over the top of her head, while folding her ears out to either side as if they were shrubs.

Looking on at the bar, taking in every hit, thud and scream, she gulped and turned up to Nick. "I think Finnick's in trouble, I'm going to take a look."

.

.

The door to the bar opened and Judy began to step in, immediately stopping as she saw the chaos in front of her. The entire bar floor, newly white and fluffy, was cleared of furniture while the patrons of the place were writhing around on it in agony; loud moans, bleeting and begging ringing out as they clutched their bruised and beaten limbs while their once neat fleeces were haggard, thin and short. Taking her eyes off the mass of sheep writhing in the thick, almost comical, sea of wool, with more tufts of the stuff floating everywhere else, Judy looked up to see Finnick, still in costume, spanking a rather underage goat currently pinned over his knee.

"THIS… IS WHAT… YOU GET… FOR CALLING ME… CUTE!" he screamed in rhythm with the strikes, before he finished the beating with one final, brutal flourish. "GO HOME TO YOUR MOTHER!" he added, as the traumatised schoolboy stumbled away before darting between Nick and Judy, ignoring the two completely. As for the Bunny and Fox, their eyes were set on Finnick, who was looking over the Tarantino-esque scene of devastation in all its glory.

"Finn…?" Judy cautiously asked, genuinely scared despite the arrival of Nick beside her.

"What?" he barked out, "I told them not to call me cute!" And with that, he hopped down and marched across the field of battle, past the writhing casualties and straight out towards the door. Pausing, he scrabbled up the doorframe and stood on top of it, turning to face the crowd and giving a loud and bitter order to his writhing victims. "Those of you lucky enough to still be awake who have friends here… you take them home with you! However… leave the Wool you've lost! It belongs to me now!"

Jumping down and turning to face the door and his friends once, Finnick spotted Judy begin to speak but held his paw up to her mouth, silently ordering her to shut up.

"I'm driving Slick!" he quietly commented as he passed the two, "my just reward!"

As he strolled off, Judy looked to an equally confused Nick. "What now?" she asked.

"First… he drives. Two, we wait."

.

.

And so they waited for the next six days. Messing about and idling in the bunker, watching the feed from their cameras while Clawhauser worked on his project. Finally, after ages of waiting, Honey called them over to the screen as they spotted their target.

"There he is," she muttered excitedly as the five mammals watched the mayors assistant wander through the bar. Ignoring several attempted toasts in his name, and pausing slightly as he spotted odd strands of wool sticking out from between the floorboards, he opened a door at the back and went through. "He's going into a function room," Honey observed, as she flicked through the feeds until she found their target entering a small room. Glancing right and opening a window, he helped in a small mustelid hauling a large briefcase and showed him to a seat.

"Mr Otterton?" the ram asked, his distinctive welsh accent ringing out.

"Mr Woolly," the otter nervously replied, averting his gaze as he nervously fidgeting around with his paws and then his collar, its light shining bright orange. "I have the stuff for Mr Bigsby…"

"Yes, There's Lovely," Woolly replied, grabbing the case and swinging it around. Opening it up, a bright orange light illuminated his face, while a wide grin growing across his face. "I love the lightbulb by the way, nice touch," he casually quipped, as he grabbed up the gun inside and inspected it.

"I know… I know but," the supplier nervously stuttered, "but I want no more of this. I didn't want to start this, and I don't want to get caught up when whatever this is goes wrong or…"

"Don't worry!" Woolly interrupted, "You'll be caught up in it no matter what…"

"Pardon?" the otter managed to exclaim, before a tight hoof clawed at his neck, hauling the victim up as he was carried towards the window. Choking and moaning, his eyes were shot with terror as Woolly pulled up the gun and rested it inside his open mouth.

"You don't know what this stuff actually does do you?" the Ram asked, with his captive shaking his head furiously in response. "Good, it'll make a nice surprise." And then he pulled the trigger, the sickening pop and thud ringing out as the otter grunted with pain, before being dropped out of the window. Grunts and moans, maturing into full on screams, began to ring out as he went savage, with Woolly merely chuckling. "I'm so sorry you'll miss the show! Tonight will be a night to remember!" And with that he packed up his things and left.

.

"We've got him!" Finnick announced, chuckling as he did so. "We've got him good!"

"I've isolated the recording," Honey shouted excitedly, rubbing her palms with glee while screaming. "Now, Benny just needs to bung it in with his other stuff and that boy is outta-here!"

The mood in the bunker was ecstatic, Judy, Clawhauser, Finnick and Honey coming together to celebrate, hugging each other and whooping at their victory. Only things paused when Honey spotted Nick sitting away from the group, deep in worrisome thought.

"What's the matter Slick?" she shouted, while the others quietened down to look at him.

"He's planning something…" Nick muttered, the announcement sailing over the group and tempering their jovial moods. Judy in particular was affect, wandering forwards with her head held low in deep thought.

"Nick's right," she muttered, "he mentioned something about a show… and it being a night to remember."

"Oh my Goodness…." All mammals turned to look at Clawhauser. His usual jovial exclamation had been tempered with abject horror, showing even now as the Cheetah's mouth trembled. "Animalia…"

"It's tonight!" Judy exclaimed, "He had Tickets! He's going to do something, hit someone live on TV and make them go savage!"

"Gazelle's dancers…" Clawhausers hollow words rung about the bunker as the images of the pop stars trusted tigers turning on her flashed through their minds.

"It'll be all over TV…! The most famous mammal in the city… the biggest Pred rights activist… she's surrounded by Bengal and Siberian Tigers! If one's hit, she won't stand a chance. Pred's reputation will be ruined!" Nick said, his voice filled with panic and terror.

"Gazelle will be killed!" Clawhauser shouted with horror.

"We've got to stop him," Judy announced, immediately taking charge of the group, their attention focusing on her. "Nick and I will go there and deal with him! You two, prepare your thing!"

"Take these," Honey replied as she turned and threw two earpieces and what looked like a pendrive at Nick and Judy. "The ear things included a speaker, microphone and camera," she explained, "I can keep on top of you guys. Plug the pendrive into a server room, and I can get control of their entire security system! And…" she said, her urgent tone fading as one of her eyes twitched, her voice tinging with concern and worry as she quietly gave one last request. "Keep safe…"

Nick and Judy nodded and saluted her, before jumping up the ladder and climbing out, ready to save the world.


	32. Chapter 32

_"I don't like your fashion business mister,_

_And I don't like these drugs that keep you thin."_

.

**Chapter 32:**

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They heard it long before they saw it. The excited murmur of thousands, if not millions, of mammals, all arriving one after the other for the show of the year. Massive spotlights were already cutting across the sky, crisscrossing about in celebration at what was going on. And then, as Nick slammed the gear level down to fourth and pushed his foot hard down on his accelerator, his car raced over the peak of a hill with a roar of speed and power and the Zootenial stadium came into view. Nick had seen the place many times in the past. Heck, he saw it every day when he was working at Wild Times, spotting it far away across the water of the east and west bays, shimmering in the distance like a great sailing ship. But up close, the monumental scale of the building came into full perspective like never before. It filled up the sky, making the surrounding structures, such as the vast amusement park on its far side and the great world's fair exhibit and sports venues to its north, seem like children's models that had been glued down next to it for decoration. Finished ten years ago, it was designed to look like a mix between a lotus flower, a water lily or the splashes of water after a raindrop had fallen into a pool, and could hold around ten percent of the city's residents in comfort while they watched any show that was put on, such as the annual Animalia festival.

Passing by the sports venues as he thought, Nick glanced down to Judy in her seat and gave a quick nod, relieved when he got one back in return. He still knew that he was a wanted mammal, that was for certain, and while hiding in the crowds did have its advantages, the multitude of other people in attendance could only mean more hateful stares from mammals keeping an eye on him. Knowing that Judy was with him, standing by his side now of all times, helped stay his nerves and keep him going. But still, part of him was already screaming, telling him that his nerves were too high and pulse too fast. Trying to order him to get away, avoid a shock, run. Even though he had a fake collar on, it still felt tight around his neck and some part of him still held onto the fear that it would reactivate, shocking him into a coma and ruining everything he'd worked for.

_'It's only a fake, it won't hurt.'_

It was only when he glanced up into his mirror that he noticed his paw was fastened around the shock unit, as if waiting to comfort his neck when the inevitable came. Of course, Nick tried to tell himself that the device was fake. That if it was going to shock him, it would have done so long ago. His heart rate and nerves had been high enough this entire journey to red light him.

_'It's only a fake, it won't hurt.'_

But now his thoughts and doubts betrayed him and, as he pulled and shifted the device around in a futile effort to make it comfortable, it nipped and tucked and pinched and rubbed at his neck, feeling heavier than it had ever done before. Whatever he tried, he couldn't get the feeling of the noose coiling around him out of his mind, but Judy could. His ears pricked up when he felt her soft paw on his arm and he suddenly felt safer, more secure, knowing that he was in her presence. Lifting his paw off his collar, he slowly dropped it down and held her arm firm, their paws grasping together in mutual support and raised in the air.

_'It's only a fake, it won't hurt.'_

His pulse dropping to a nearly normal level, he could almost swear that he heard his collar beep back down to green, before the thought of the device vanished from his mind as they entered the car park.

It was already late, the vast parking lots almost entirely filled with countless vehicles, forcing Nick to drive all the way to the back of the lot to find a space. Although he couldn't spot an available one, he eventually found a wide enough marker line between a huge Elephant mammal carrier and a tall Giraffe car and decided to make do. Slipping in, or rather on, Nick turned his engine off and pulled back the handbrake hard, the cables beneath creaking and groaning like a piece of fabric that was tearing itself apart. Within seconds he, and Judy, had leapt out and were wandering towards the stadium in front of them. It was so large, filling the sky, that it may have seemed like a stone's throw away. But it was when you spotted the tiny figures by the doors far ahead, which on closer inspection turned out to be Hippo's and Rhino's, that you realized how far you still had to go.

There was a soft tap on his paws as Judy got his attention, before she nodded her head and began walking off at a tangent. Splitting themselves up so as to avoid suspicion was the sensible move, but it left Nick feeling lonely, alone and vulnerable once more. Glancing around, trying to find something to keep his attention on while they were separated, Nick looked up to the sky to see one of the several blimps circling the event fly past gracefully. On its sides it held up a pair of massive projector screens, proudly displaying Gazelle's name for all to see as they advertised the star attraction of the event. Looking forward again, at the bold Animalia title held up above the main ticket halls, Nick at least took solace in the fact that she, and the Wolf's unwitting weapons, wouldn't be on stage for a decent amount of time as the pre-show took place. However, as he looked down, that solace was wiped from his mind as his gaze rested on the trio of beefy security guards patrolling the outside. The Razorbacks. Gulping as he looked on, Nick saw them attending to a long line of Foxes, pulled out of the general crowd and undergoing a sniffer search one by one, trying to see if any of them was him in disguise. It was mainly Red Foxes just like him, both Todd's, Vixens and Kits, but also a cohort of other species that he may have been posing as if he had access to fur dye. Tibetans, Kit's, Corsac's, Bengals, Swift's, Blanford's and many other true vulpine's were all waiting impatiently in line. There were several false foxes who had been picked out too, Culpeo's, Gray's and Bat eared ones, even more impatient than the others and quite annoyed that they had been inconvenienced and profiled despite being in a completely different genus to the presumed target. None, however, were more annoyed than a very tired looking maned wolf who was standing silently over the others with an orange collar and two young pups by her side, all waiting to be cleared. One of her children was a very energetic four-year-old who was bouncing around and talking nonsense while the other one was a small pup, less than a year old, tuckered in at her breast. By the way her feet were clenching, her claws grinding along the floor, it was evident that her patience was very close to running out.

Taking his eyes off the affair for a moment, Nick paused as he slowly made his way behind a nearby tree. Hiding himself from view and peeking out, slowly observing how any potential suspect was picked out of the crowd up put at the back of the line, he tried to think of a way through only for his view to be blocked by a very fat, hairy, panda on a mobility scooter. Stopping in front of him to dump a load of cardboard food containers into a nearby bin, he paused to pick up his phone and idle through a few texts, taking his time to send a reply to each. Briefly annoyed by the distraction, Nick had a sudden flash of inspiration and dove forward, sneakily burrowing himself into a food hamper at the back, nestling in and then peering out through the wickerwork. Jolting to the side as the scooter began to move forward again, Nick watched as Judy entered the ticket hall far ahead without issues, while closer to home the maned wolf had finally reach the sniffer station. Looking on, Nick saw her tired, half lidded eyes open with shock as the razorbacks sniffed not her, but her four-year-old son who just so happened to be Fox sized. While the little pup initially backed off in worry, he was quickly held in place as his mother hung a reassuring arm around his shoulder. The member of the sniffer team with reddy-brown fur and two huge tusks leant forward and began sniffing him, his snout quickly making its way up his fur, pulling up his shirt as he went. The mother was not impressed to say the least, her muzzle beginning to pull back and teeth bare ready to growl, her orange collar be damned. However, salvation came when the razorback in question began running his sniffling snout along the larger Kits muzzle, only to receive a sudden and sharp bite in return. Pausing for a second as his eyes widened in shock, the boar pulled back screaming, his trotters flying up as they tried to stem the blood flow from the bite marks while the mother merely smiled, patting her son on his back for his action. Even the little Kit she had tuckered against her chest took a break from its intent suckling, turning around to babble happily and give a soft set of claps to her big brother. Nick, smiling away as he watched, saw the three mammals let through by the irate guards with a huff, before he himself entered the stadia and they were cut off from view. Glancing around his basket and peeking through the wickerwork as the cart made its way to the lift, Nick spotted Judy waiting for him and, after checking the coast was clear, slinked out. Skulking over, he met up with her again and they nodded at each other, before turning to enter the arena proper just as the show started.

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Stepping out of a tunnel and onto the staircase, Nick and Judy emerged into a sea of other mammals who filled each and every seat while looking on with eager eyes and bated breath. The crowds continued, both above and below the place where they had emerged, and wrapping all the way around the vast bowl which enveloped the central arena in three large tiers. Even though they had fallen quiet, there was a healthy murmur that was growing and growing as the lights around the place faded, and an errant twinge of music began. It was an electronic warble, high pitch, constant and just the right tone to cause Nick's ears to flick about in annoyance as he and Judy began to make their way up the long stairs to the top of the tier of bleachers that they were on, where a back exit to the corridors beyond was located. As they climbed, beginning to pass more and more Preds as evident by the increasing number of collar lights, the sound started to waver slightly, twitching slowly at first and then fluctuating more and more until a deep rumble of thunder lashed out, momentarily silencing everything in its wake before a serene backing tune, simple yet graceful and moving, began playing on a piano somewhere as projectors mounted all around the stadium turned on. The centre of the arena, kept pitch black and unlit by any light, turned blue as projector after projector cast its tinted illumination on it. The blues and whites below, formless yet infinitely detailed, were complemented by thousands of pinpricks of purple, yellow, orange and red which adorned the background like gems. The entire painted tapestry was slowly spinning, spiralling around on the great canvas as it took the form of a galaxy.

" _In the time before the earth, before our home was even formed…"_  Both Nick and Judy paused from their climb, looking over with concern as they heard Gazelles words speak out and narrate to the city. After quickly looking back at each other and nodding, safe in the knowledge that she wasn't on physical stage yet, the two wandered on as the narration and music continued.

" _There were just the stars and lifeless rocks, floating through space lost and unguided. Alone, cold… still… until they came together… forged in the heat."_

CRACK….. Another thunderbolt sounded out, thousands of lights spread around the stands turning orange for a moment in shock, before turning back to green as a deep drumming started. Hundreds of drums, each one beating loud and deep with tremendous power behind their roars, created a new rapid tempo. It wasn't like a drumroll or a heartbeat but something more primal, the hairs on the backs of all those in attendance rising up as if a terrible storm were coming. A great energy was building up and up, the air tense as it seemed ready to release. And with another CRACK, it did. There were spectacular flashes, each one intensely bright and causing mammals to glance away, before a set of huge cracks began opening up on the floor. Breaking the galaxy apart, they spit out billowing steam clouds and a cohort of sparks from innumerable fireworks, along with a sulphurous orange glow as if the earth had been clawed open to reveal hell beneath. The drumming was louder and fiercer than ever, and out of the great wounds hundreds of wildebeest drummers, their limbs burning as they beat and beat at their instruments, were revealed. Their frantic tempo only increased further, as Gazelle spoke out once more.

" _Our planet came together! A hot rock of molten stone and ash surrounding a young burning star. And as the eons passed, their energy beneath was used to forge the continents and the mountains, before it retreated to the depths._ "

The drummers suddenly finished, a subtle flourish before one last, proud, unified beat and then, all at once, deathly silence. There was a second's pause before the whole crowd began to roar and cheer in applause, over a million mammals standing up to clap at the performers who, swiping the thick sweat off their brows, turned to take a bow as they were lowered back down into the chambers beneath. Even Nick, still climbing up past fellow predators and towards Judy and a door, had to turn and take in what he had just seen, before the arena floor turned black again and gazelle spoke out once more.

_"Our planet was formed but it was jagged, dry, parched… And so it waited, as the comets rained down and brought with them the life giving water."_

Hundreds of swooshes began to fill the air, sounding out as spiralling fireworks rode down cables from the roof before exploding over the centre of the arena. As each one burst, white and blue sparks raining out, the black floor was painted azure as an angelic choir began to sing. There were no lyrics, no words, but rather swoons and coo's that rose and fell like the wash of waves on a beach. The floor itself began to shimmer, as if it were water, as purple lights began to form a set of swirling rings. As he reached the door, wandering through with Judy as all eyes were turned forward, Nick stole a glance at a cohort of Hippo ballerina's rise up from below. Dressed in pink and purples, they gracefully spun as they were hoisted up into the air, trailing intricate webs of silk and fabric that billowed around after them. Surrounded by a ring of fabric that was rising up too, its pink gossamer tails fluttering in the breeze to the ethereal sound of the choir, Nick couldn't help looking on entranced. Until Judy grabbed his arm, and yanked him in before closing the door with a thud.

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Unlike the spectacular outside, the service corridors of the building were bare boned and austere. Finished, if they were lucky, with a thin coating of light blue or algae green paint over the raw brickwork, they were lit with the sombre glow of halogen tubes that hung from the ceiling every now and again, casting out a cold, unfeeling light. Even the warmth of the music performance outside was gone, blocked out by the thick concrete walls and replaced with the repeating taps of claws on the cold hard floor as Nick and Judy jogged along. The rabbit in the lead and Nick in hot pursuit, they took a sudden right hand turn as Judy smashed through an unassuming doorway and came face to face with a bank of blinking computer servers. Pausing a bit, she grabbed the little dongle that Honey had given them back at the bunker and plugged it in.

"That should be that," Judy remarked quietly as she stepped back, before turning to Nick. "Honey should have access to the security and coms systems any minute now."

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**Meanwhile, in the bunker.**

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Honey, Clawhauser and Finnick stood hunched over, their eyes fixed on the Badgers computer. On it, two video screens were opened up and displaying shaky images from the camera's hidden on Nick and Judy. The videos were scratchy and riven with interference, while the sound wasn't much better, but it worked.

 _"Knowing Honey, how long till we get anti-sheep posters sent to the whole city_ …" came the garbled recording of Nick's voice over the line, before the sound of furious tapping and clicking began to overtake it. Honey, with continual input and advise from Clawhauser, was typing furiously as she opened up files and command prompts, before her screen suddenly filled with a host of different thumbnails, each one of them a camera feed. Pulling back slightly, before turning to Clawhauser and giving a cocky chuckle, she clicked on one of the feeds and opened it before flicking through them all, one after the other. Clawhauser, meanwhile, brought up a set of building schematics on a spare screen to the side before passing them over to Finnick, using his attention to help Honey instead. As the two larger mammals flicked through video after video, getting snapshots at the various inner workings of the arena, Finnick scrolled through the plans before locating a server room, grinning slightly as he zoomed in.

"There you are…" was all he muttered, before his gaze was shifted as Honey shouted out the same thing.

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**Meanwhile, outside the stadium.**

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The three razorbacks were sitting down on a bench, taking the time to inspect their weapons carefully as they awaited new orders. The sounds of the performance were overflowing, taunting them as they stood waiting, before the blast of a radio caught all of their attention.

"Captain Hunter, over!" the grizzled leader of the squad immediately replied, holding up the radio to his mouth as he spoke while his ears flickered with interest at what he heard. His mouth twitched about for a bit, before he nodded slowly and gave a quiet reply. "Affirmative sir, over and out."

Within seconds, he had jumped upright and drawn a weapon, with his fellow squad mates following him in quick succession. Turning to them one at a time, taking them in with his one working eye, he spoke out grimly. "There's a security breach at one of the servers. I assume they've gained entry somehow… and the mayor is at great risk. We hunt them down! We finish this tonight!"

His two subordinates immediately saluted him with firm, stiff hands, before marching off in front of him. Pausing for a bit, his gaze fixed on the great stadium looming ahead of him, he gave one last intimidating statement before charging off to join them.

"There you are…"

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**Back in the stadium.**

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The door shut softly as the two mammals walked out of the server room, before the harsh beep of Judy's phone rang out. Both mammals pulled back from the sudden shock, before Judy quickly leant forward again to open up her message, smiling as she did so.

"They're in," she quietly said, grinning at Nick before turning back to read out the rest of the message, her grin growing as she read it. "The Mayor and her assistant are in a secondary skybox not far from here, instead of the main one they're expected to be in. Apparently, there's a vent we can sneak through just past the main control room, we'll be able to see everything!"

As Nick nodded with agreement the two ran off, down the corridor with Judy in the lead. Her eyes were always half on her phone and half on the road ahead as she turned left and right, up staircases or down passageways without a second doubt. The hubbub of outside was getting louder too, and Nick paused as they passed a set of two huge wooden doors. On them, the words 'Main control room' were fixed to the wood on a brass plate. Looking in out of curiosity, Nick saw a wide and deep room with all manner of controls and switches. A huge panoramic window was at the back, giving a fantastic view to anyone who was sitting at the giant control desk, although it was oddly empty. The only resident in the room that Nick could see was a portly pig, sitting hunched down in an alcove where he was idly drinking coffee and playing solitaire on an ancient computer. Nick turned to look back at the performance outside, which by this stage involved a huge jungle set rising out from the centre of the stage with Gazelle likely giving some more commentary. His observations were, however, cut short suddenly as his tail was harshly yanked back by Judy, leaving the door to close shut behind him. Outside, she impatiently pointed up to a nearby vent and jumped in, with Nick following in earnest. The two proceeded down the metal duct on all fours, scurrying along and glancing out of metal grills as they passed them, before coming to a stop as they caught sight of the mayor.

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The Skybox was opulent to say the least, filled with modern high tech furniture, selections of food for any prey mammal and comfy seating, with what seemed to be a top tier light and sound system to boot. Plush, sleek and elegant, it was everything that the mayor wasn't.

"He's here, he's somewhere," Swinton said, quietly muttering to herself, her breath deep and fingers fidgeting about as she spoke. Huge dark bags hung under her twitching eyes while her hair was dry and frizzy. Even her clothes, usually elegant, were creased and seemed lopsided compared to one another. Instead of standing firmly upright like she usually did she was hunched over, rocking back and forth as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her trotters, trying to stem her nerves.

"It's fine ma'am," Woolly gently replied, taking time out from munching on some papers in his bag to wrap his hand around Swinton, pulling the uncomfortable, and now rather surprised, sow into a soft hug. Her eyes, snout and mouth twitched around for a bit, evidence enough of her uncertainty at this new situation, before she relaxed somewhat and smiled.

"Yes… yes, I it is… I am. I must be," Swinton began to say to herself as she stood back up. Fixing her jacket, attempting to smooth out her hair and shifting herself into a more dignified pose, she smiled and continued talking to herself while Woolly repeatedly nodded on at her in the background. "I mean, he'd have to get through the Razorbacks and the whole of security and all that, and even if he does that… what exactly can he do?"

"Nothing much Ma'am," Woolly responded, as the two turned back to the performance in front of them.

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Out on stage, thousands of mammals were taking part in the key part of the introduction performance. The entire stage had been cleared for them, and they wandered out in green and red costumes, forming a great ring. Leaning forward, Nick's interest piqued at what was being shown, before he scowled on seeing it for what is was. Finnick's words from last week ringing about in his head, Nick focussed in and confirmed what he suspected. Those in red costumes and with red flares in their paws were all predators, while those in green costumes with green flares were all Prey. Gazelle's backing commentary only confirmed it further.

" _The sons and daughters of the world, separated into Predators and Prey, fought for eons. The Predators killing the Prey for food, and the Prey living helpless in fear…_ "

Out on the field, the group of performers had coalesced into a snaking ring, the Predators on the outer and inner edge with the Prey trapped in-between. As if to top it off, giant inflatable animals were being moved along on poles on top of the performers. The Prey ones (such as a Giraffe, an Elephant, a Kangaroo) were all chubby, smooth balloons that glowed a soft green while the Predator ones were vicious, angular creations painted a vivid red. One of them, a Tiger with glowing orange eyes, was even breathing fire, a huge burst of flame escaping its maw while the Prey in front feigned mock terror.

" _Until, spurred on by the fear, the Prey learned to master fire and tools and fought back._ "

The scene suddenly changed, the Prey pushing out, buckling the surrounding formation of predators holding them in until it burst, scattering everywhere. The entire stage was a buzzing hive of red and green, Predator and Prey intermingling. To Nick, it almost looked peaceful but, as he felt and rubbed the weight against his neck, he knew it wouldn't last.

" _Still hungry, the Predators took the tools and fought back, and so for millennia more we had war, until it settled down into an uneasy truce as technology blossomed_."

Lasers began shining, pointing up skywards in shades of red, orange, yellow and green. The largest Prey mammals in the crowd began wandering around with a purpose, herding up predator after predator and crowding them into the centre, before standing shoulder to shoulder to trap them in, casting up their red lasers into the sky as they did so. As Nick looked on, his face twitching with disgust at what he was seeing, the other prey mammals formed three thick rings that stretched all around the Prey and Predators in the centre, with the exception of a gap that formed a small avenue facing the mayor. Those in the outermost ring, mainly small prey, shone their orange lasers in at the centre, followed by larger prey with yellow lasers in the middle ring and then by a set of hulking rams with green lasers in the innermost. The largest Prey still stood defiantly in the centre though, with their red lasers pointed up high and a red banner held around them; while the Predators trapped in the core still held up their primitive red flares. The context was clear to anyone watching, and to Nick it was so vile that he turned away with closed eyes and his tongue stuck out in mock disgust. It was a tame collar, pure and simple, being celebrated and cheered on by millions. Thinking back, Nick had to agree that Finnick was most definitely right. He didn't even bother looking when a spotlight came on and cast down on a child standing in the middle of the open avenue, ready for her to give a speech.

" _For… For hundreds of years_ ," the little Filly began, her wavering voice quickly settling down as she continued, " _Pwe… Predator and Prey lived apart, with Pwey fearing Predator and Predator hurting Prey. But, through the research and skill of numerous dedicated and selfless Prey scientists, the fruits of technology and science have allowed us to hold back their nasty savage urges… and given us the chance to know… and to trust them… and for them to be part of our civilization._ "

The crowd erupted, cheers and screams of applause raining down on the bowing fowl as the lasers behind her cut off, the predators inside walking out and shaking hands with each and every Prey mammal they past. Even the mayor was cheering, her previous nervous disposition gone as she stood up, clapping slowly but firmly until the lights went out as the stage cleared for Gazelles performance. Back in the duct, Judy and a very angry Nick (who couldn't stop mumbling about the 'selfless' line in the speech) stood still, waiting for the next move. Sure enough, as Swinton wandered over to a bowl to help herself to some truffles, Woolly stood up. Two briefcases in his hand, one of which looked eerily familiar, he politely excused himself from the room and began wandering out.

Looking at each other and nodding in agreement, Nick and Judy began crawling along the ducts after him, walking on all fours like they were still mammals from the savage ages, ducking and weaving as Nick led the way, using his excellent sense of smell to track down their target. Judy could only follow him, getting the occasional fleeting glance at Woolly in a vent grill here and there, as she let Nick sniff the way forward. It seemed like it would last forever, pursuing their target around and around only to find out later that he'd dropped his stuff off for pickup ages ago, until he finally turned into a bathroom and stayed there. As she followed Nick around, they both paused by a grill and looked down at what was going on. Woolly had locked the door shut and laid down his briefcases carefully. As he opened the first one, revealing both the pistol he'd used earlier and a sniper rifle, Nick and Judy looked at each other with confusion. Pointing at his nose and then miming a howl, Nick silently confirmed that he could smell the wolf somewhere near, yet he wasn't in the room. Shrugging her shoulders in confusion, Judy began to walk back the way she'd come to see if the Wolf was outside, only to feel two sharp taps at Nick prodded her on the shoulder. Looking up at him, his eyes wide and ears folded back, she had no idea what could be interesting him; until she crawled back to her position and looked at the sight in front of her with equal shock as well.

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The large briefcase was wide open, revealing a cohort of different clothes and items that seemed to make no sense. But as Woolly got each one out and put them on, the puzzle pieces began to fit together. First there was the corset, a massive bit of fabric that he tied around his fat girth before fastening it closed. Tightening the straps on his back, the thick wool that gave him his chubby appearance began to shrink. Tighter and tighter, it slowly changed his silhouette from that of a rotund bumbling moron to a lithe, dangerous predator. Tall and thin, he fastened the straps in place before inspecting himself in the mirror, flexing the muscles on his forearm in pride before turning back to his other items. First came the stockings covered in fur that he pulled up each leg and fastened to the corset using the hooks provided. A similar set of items was fastened onto his arms, while a clip on tail added to his rear. Kneeling down, he picked up a huge mask with both hands, holding it up and pulling it down onto his head, giving him a new face. That of the Wolf, that of Lupus Savage, that of the mammal who always seemed like a contradiction. Fiddling around with the mask, deftly pinching bits here and there across the muzzle, he fastened the outer skin to his real one with the numerous internal clips before turning to the mirror and testing it out. Trying facial expression after facial expression, checking that his disguise worked to full form and function, he smiled in satisfaction before wandering over to his case ready to finish the transformation. On went a pair of fake feet and hands, each disguised as those of a wolf, before he donned a lichen grey trench coat and a fedora, topping of the disguise with a fake collar, the cherry on top. Closing shut the large briefcase and tucking his weapons into his coat, he turned to the mirror and let out a short, menacing chuckle.

"I hope this will hurt, and not just a little," he said out loud, his welsh accent transformed into the aloof menace of Lupus' Scottish one, before his phone suddenly rang. Checking the caller and pulling it up to his head, his accent effortlessly changed back to that of the idiot assistant mayor that Zootopia knew all too well.

"I'm… I'm a bit down the mine here ma'am, so to speak… Yes, I know the shows restarting now but I'm busy…. Well, I think I ate too many of those electronics catalogues… If you want a hint, they're from the store with a six letter name beginning with C and rhyming with hurries… No ma'am, it's not a joke, I'm down here learning what they mean by 'hot deals'… Yes, that was a joke ma'am, I think… OH NO! IT WASN'T, IT'S COMING AGAIN. I'VE GOT TO GO…." There was a bleep as he hung up, before he pressed down hard and turned off the phone, returning to the mirror as he resumed the practice of his Scottish accent straight from the top.

"I hope this will hurt, and not just a little…!" he said once more, before packing up his things and leaving, adding a quiet little addendum as he went. "And then time for home and cheesy toasties…"

With that he closed the door, leaving Nick and Judy looking on gobsmacked, not sure if they could believe their eyes anymore. Turning to each other, mouths open and trembling, they looked at each other with quizzical looks desperate for confirmation, before pausing as they realised that every loose end and confusing bit of evidence suddenly slipped into place. The fact he had a strange scent that smelled sheepish… the way his fur felt and smelt different… the worried behaviour at Wild times… the house located in a sheep neighbourhood… the fridge that seemed so ordinary yet so odd to Judy, stocked with food for a herbivore… the stacks of repellent… him not sniffing them out… not being stranded at home when his collar was stolen… Nick smelling him at the mayor's place and this bathroom when he wasn't there… how Judy had smashed his muzzle in without him batting an eye… why he was doing this despite knowing the pain it would make worse… He didn't know the pain. He wasn't a Pred, he wasn't Lupus Savage, he wasn't a traitor to his kind. He was a sheep in wolf's clothing.

"We'd better get going!"

Judy's harsh whisper flicked Nick back to attention and, turning, he led her on as he tracked their enemy down. He still couldn't quite believe what he had seen. The fact that Woolly was behind it all rather than Swinton seemed hard enough, but the fact that he was the Wolf… The fact that the gibbering, paper eating twat that he, and half the city, mocked in private for being an absolute moron… was one and the same as the menacing spectre that ruined his life made anything else they'd learned over the last month pale in comparison. Nick was just glad that he had a camera and recorder on him so that they had hard evidence…

Pausing as a sudden realisation overtook him, Nick turned back to Judy and spoke. "Apart from celebrating the fact that they likely won a grand from me in a bet… how do you think Honey and co are dealing with this?"

"I'm more annoyed about missing THAT than this show…" was all Judy said in return, as the two continued to track Woolly down.

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**Meanwhile, in the bunker.**

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Lying down in a pile in a corner of the bunker lay three tame collars, sitting alone, quiet and abandoned ever since Judy had removed them a fortnight before.

_Beep…_

A warning ring rang out from one of the collars, an orange light glowing beside a small picture of a sheep covered in a red cross, its glow illuminating the sheet of cobwebs that covered the devices.

 _Beep…_   **ZAP!**

Turning red, it sparked. The sickening white flash arced around, the force flipping the collar over until it rested once more on the ground, although its light still shone orange.

Nearby, three mammals were looking on, eyes fixed at a computer screen. The smallest just stood there with his large eyes even wider than normal and his small mouth hanging open in pure shock. The largest had wide eyes as well, his small mouth hanging open in a pronounced O shape. Stuck in the middle, long derided as both a clown and a joker, stood a certain badger called Honey. Her eyes wide open, her grin stretching across her face, her ears upright; she was chuckling. Chuckling in a way that showed that she was barely containing the vast amount of pure excitement burning within her. Chuckling in a way that meant that, although she wasn't actually being that loud, her sounds were deafening compared to those around. A chuckling that put everyone nearby on edge, making them wonder just what was going to happen next. Slowly drawing their gaze away from the screen, they fixed them with worry on the trembling mass of fur next to them. Shaking with excitement, her mind awash with chaos as she processed what she'd just seen, almost unable to comprehend the proof in her beliefs that she'd just witnessed… She didn't even notice the sudden POP sounding out from behind her as her collar literally exploded, the force of the blast sending the two other tame collars flying about, nor the puff of white smoke that billowed up from the third one which then transformed into an acrid smelling cobalt blue whisp.

"Finnick," Clawhauser slowly began to say, speaking in barely more than a whisper as he turned down to face his friend. "While I'm awfully excited about this, and you'll need to flip through the records to see what stupid bets you've lost and what your forfeit will be… I think it's best that we evacuate this area before Honey…"

"HOT DAMN!" Honey immediately… (a word has not been created to fully express the full vigour and energy of what she did, nor may it ever be, but it is some mix of screamed, shouted, beckoned, yelled and announced, all turned up to eleven… then fed through another amplified also turned up to eleven… a process which then repeats itself around about two hundred and ninety-three point four-seven times. Alternatively, it is a word that can be used to describe the feeling of being hit at a range of ten meters or so by something in the range of a 15 Megaton atomic blast. I'll let you decided on the most appropriate definition).

Bracing down from the onslaught, both Clawhauser and Finnick desperately shielded their ears in a futile attempt to protect their hearing from Honey's indescribable volume, as well as from the rocks and debris crumbling down onto them as the roof shook about. Momentarily unwincing as Honey's… thing… dissipated, only to be replaced by the sound of multiple car alarms blaring away outside, they looked up only to buckle down once again as she continued to boast out loud, her voice doing its best to deafen them as she frantically tried to put her thoughts to word.

"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU GUYS DIDN'T I! HERE WE HAVE IT! THE PROOF! THE GREATEST MIGHTIEST PROOF THAT THE SHEEP ARE THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL! HOT DAMN! HOT DAMN! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THIS IS YEAR ZERO BABIES!"

Clawhauser and Finnick were jerked inwards, their faces burying themselves into Honey as they were dragged into her celebratory embrace (although, in Clawhausers case, it was more like Honey was burying herself into his face due to their size difference). Struggling to talk or even breath, the two mammals looked up pleadingly at Honey as her eyes and mouth, all wide and still brimming with excitement, flicked eagerly between them.

"Can… we… just… get… on… to… my… bet…" was all Finnick could wheeze out, desperate to get out of her crushing embrace. It did the trick, and she released them before leaping forward to her computer once more.

"I've gotta keep an eye on Slick and Officer Jude the Dude but Benny can sort that stuff out, can't ya buddy?"

"Sure thing Honeybun!" Clawhauser eagerly shot back, saluting as he did so before bending down and pulling out a huge folder marked 'Finnick's stupid bets.' As the Fennec in question's ears dropped, realising just how much trouble he might be in, he turned to see Clawhauser flick through the file and pick up one from the back.

"Now, it isn't exactly 'Honey's stupid sheep thing is right'," he mused, "but I do think it comes under, 'it was the sheep that got Wild times shut….'"

“Nope,” Finnick interrupted, “it says ‘the sheep’, not ‘a sheep.’ No deal.”

“Shame…” Clawhauser mused, “I was so looking forward to seeing a Gazelle mural on your van…”

“No luck Benny boy,” Finnick smugly replied back as a massive grin grew across his face, “my ride will always have two Aztec gods on it, and I think I’m getting away scot free!”

“What about ‘it’s a sheep causing these savage cases’” Clawhauser asked as he picked out a piece of paper with some cat cartoons on the back. “I think that counts!” he announced, while Finnick’s smug grin vanished. “Now Finn, your forfeit it… oh sweet cheese and crackers…”

"And…?" Finnick desperately asked, his voice suddenly very fearful as he began backing off, leaning forward and pleading as if he wanted some mercy.

"… Ouch...!" Clawhauser said, before reading on, his face contorting or wincing with each disgusted remark that came out of his mouth as he read his friends self-inflicted fate. "EW...! OH EM Goodness…!"

"Stop leading me on man! Just give it to me straight!"

"Well, I'm feeling merciful so I'll cut it down from ten hours to one… and remove the live video feed we upload to Zootube…" Clawhauser muttered, as he passed over a sheet of paper to Finnick before carrying on. "But you signed it at the bottom so… I'll just get the stuff."

Finnick just stood there, scanning up and down the piece of paper again and again, desperately trying to see if he'd completely misread what was on there. The loud BANG! from the back of the room, sounding off as his own tame collar burnt out in a huge mist of blue smoke, did nothing to steal his attention from the document that sealed his fate. Clawhauser dropping down a large bulldog clip attached to a piece of elastic; a feathery dress with wings and a golden halo and a suspiciously familiar plastic undergarment did however.

"… AW HELL NO!"

.

**Back in the stadium.**

.

There was a soft sniffling sound, followed by several oinks, as the Razorbacks marched along a corridor and past the wide doors marked 'main control room'. Wandering out, the sole mammal who had been working in there pull back in surprise, watching them carry on. "Sniffers…" was all he remarked, watching the elite squad sniff around an open ventilation duct before they turned and charged down the corridor, leaving him alone. Looking around nervously, he picked up his empty coffee mug and hurriedly trotted out.

.

There was a sudden clang, a metal duct shaking, before the grill on its side burst open and Nick and Judy leapt out. Landing firmly on their feet before looking around, Nick took the lead as he inhaled several deep sniffs before racing off, Judy in hot pursuit. Following him as they cut through the maze of passageways, her ears flicked up and pivoted around, her whole head turning as she heard something off in the distance before turning back to Nick.

"I thought I'd had Honey's reaction already?" she asked, her voice unsure as she ran on.

"We have," Nick replied, "I assume Finnick's just learnt what stupid bet he's lost…"

"Really, you and him are just…" she began to say, chastising the two vulpines' immaturity before she was suddenly pulled to a halt by Nick, his paw tightly grasping her shoulder and keeping her back. The two were stopped at the base of a stairwell, which Nick was carefully looking up. High up above, slowly unlocking a door and wandering out, was Woolly in his wolf disguise. There was a soft click, and Nick saw Judy pull out a tranquiliser gun and begin to make her way up, waving Nick on as she climbed. As the door slammed shut Nick began to make his way after her only for a sudden shout to stop the two in their tracks.

"FREEZE CHOMPER!"

Nick turned and recoiled in horror as he saw the three Razorbacks charging at him from down a corridor, bearing down on him with the force an express train. Gulping, he turned to Judy frantically signed to her, trying to tell her to go out and stop Woolly. Nodding in understanding as he raced off, the razorbacks in hot pursuit, Judy turned and walked up to the door, opening it before she stepped out onto the roof.


	33. Chapter 33

_"Collar me, don't collar me."_

.

**Chapter 33**

.

The cool night-time air hit Judy with a thud, slamming her back slightly as the door was blow shut behind her. Wincing down at the loud slam, her eyes closing with fear, she slowly unwound herself and relaxed when she saw Woolly up ahead, completely unaware of her presence. Kneeling by the base of a large lattice tower, its white metalwork stained grey by the smoke of the firework meteors it had released back near the start of the show, he was deftly assembling his sniper rifle and loading in a clip full of the deadly darts. Slowly making her way forward, sneaking past metal ductwork and hulking ventilation units, Judy paused and retreated behind cover as her target stood up, aiming his weapon carefully at the stage below as he thought about the shot he would have to take. Climbing up onto higher ground, Judy looked over at him before following his gaze down, her eyes fixing on the stage below as the entire arena geared up for Gazelle's performance. Across the arena floor hundreds of pneumatic pistons had emerged, rising and falling in waves as performers on top of them danced and hula hooped. Air vents on the flanks were being used to lift flying squirrels high up into the air before they began to glide back down in formation, the spotlights on their chest flashing on and off to create a spectacular air show. There were even mammals in jetpacks, as a bunch of flying pigs swooped around to huge applause. But it was in the centre of the stage, on a high pedestal lifted above the rest, that was gathering the crowd's attention. Beneath a great fabric skirt, slowly turning and billowing as the tempo of the performance built up, was Woolly's target. Feeling down to her hip, Judy pulled out a tranquiliser gun and pointed it at him, only to pause as she realised that she'd only hit thick wool and cloth at this point. Focussing in on him, Judy's gaze fixed on a tiny section of exposed sheepskin above his right hand boot, his Achilles' heel, and she began to make her way forward.

.

.

Down below Nick raced around a corner, narrowly dodging a flurry of tranquiliser darts which skimmed past him as he turned, before he doubled his already strained effort and ran forwards. This wasn't like Little Rodentia, this wasn't like the cloud forest district. He had no fear of getting shocked, so he let his heart beat as fast as it could manage. Adrenaline coursing freely through his veins for the first time in his life, he ran straight through the burning pain of his lungs and the aching of his feet, letting his fight or flight instincts take control of him.

"I SAID FREEZE CHOMPER!"

Nick looked over his shoulder to see the razorbacks in his sights once more, their weapons raising as they prepared to fire. Leaping to his left and landing in a sudden roll, he managed to hear two clicks and the ping of a dart hitting a wall, before he got up on his feet again and continued on. This new corridor was long and straight, with little to no cover and no turnings to escape down in order to avoid the tranquilisers. His mind in overdrive, Nick saw a familiar looking doorway to his left and jumped through, slamming it closed behind him before racing over to grab a huge filling cabinet and tipping it over, letting it land in front of the door with a slam. Glancing around and spotting that he was back in the main control room, Nick went to frantic work. Picking up rulers, bits of metal or anything long and hard, he rammed them through the twin handles of the doors in a desperate attempt to bar them shut. Then came more filing cabinets and furniture and computer equipment and anything else heavy that could keep the razorbacks out. Driven purely by instincts, Nick didn't think or care, rather he did anything and everything to keep himself safe and stop them from looking for Judy. It was only after he pulled a trolley full of compressed gas canisters out of a storage room full of confetti, tipping them all onto the pile, that he stopped to catch his breath. The shock in his system brutally caught up with him as knelt down and panted, desperate to replenish the oxygen levels in his blood. It was as he paused for thought that he realized he had made four errors. Firstly, had he run past Judy he could have led the squad to Woolly straight away and, as long as they weren't working for him, he'd have been arrested on the spot and found out. Next was the fact that he hadn't spotted the tell-tale signs of the razorbacks running out of tranquiliser darts, he may well have been perfectly safe if he'd kept on running down that corridor. Thirdly, the fact of the matter was that he was now locked in this room with no way out, whereas, had he run for 1 second more, he could have dived into the vents (mistake number 4). All these errors pressing on his mind were suddenly made all the more pressing when the door slammed forward with a smash, the three razorbacks attempting to barge in. Nick flinched back as the barricade bent inwards, the debris at the doors base pushed back and the stuff between the two handles buckling. Swearing he could see a furious eye looking in at him, Nick retreated backwards, towards the control desk and its many intricate switches and buttons, all lying dormant. The only thing that seemed to be running was a small computer to the side where the lone operator had been before, its screen completely empty bar a grey box with the words 'executing ' proudly placed in its centre. There was another smash as the slew of items in the barricade began to fall away, all while his improvised bar cracked and screamed as it broke. Glancing around and realising he had no way out, Nick began to walk forwards, his paws held out in appeasement as he tried to reason with his pursuers.

"OK, boys… I think we may have gotten off on the wrong paw…" Nick began to slowly say, before wincing back as an even larger hit smashed into the door. Everything cracking and buckling, while an even larger gap between the doors formed, the Fox resumed his peace mission with an even greater urgency. "Or maybe wrong hoof…"

SMASH….

"Trotter…?"

The Scowling head of a grey boar poked through, looking around before setting its one good eye on Nick and screaming out. "YOU THINK YOU CAN TALK YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS ONE, CHOMPER? OH, I THINK NOT!"

"The name's Nick and I was thinking more around…" he began to reply, panic tinging his voice before he was loudly interrupted.

"OH NO! I DON'T CARE IF YOU SURRENDER! WE'VE GOT A SCORE TO SETTLE!"

Trembling with fear, Nick looked around desperately for something to buy him time before his eyes fixed themselves firmly on the gas canisters. Smashing down on the top valves with a paperweight, helium began to scream out of them just as the Razorback squad smashed through the doorway and into the room. Immediately blown back by the rush of gas, they coughed and screamed in newly high pitch voices before they recovered from their ordeal, just in time to see Nick racing away from them. Nick knew that there was no traditional way out, just some dead end store rooms and a confetti machine, but looking up at the ceiling he had an idea. Jumping up into a forest of pull cords, clasping them in his paws and finding his balance as he pulled them down, he began to scramble up and up towards the false ceiling and a loose panel that revealed the crawlspace beyond.

.

.

Making her way slowly forward, Judy was getting closer and closer by the second to her target. Perched on the edge of the roof's lip, he was still scanning about with his gun and completely oblivious to how close she was to him. Just a few meters away, she raised her dart gun so that the point was aimed squarely at the small slither of unprotected skin and wool over his heel. Her finger twisting, making its way slowly around the trigger, she lined up her shot ready to hit only for her target to suddenly jerk upwards, his foot stepping forward as his balance shifted. Judy reflexively pulled back as Woolly stood up and looked down at the performance. His confusion registering even through his prosthetic face, the sheep rubbed his fake muzzle as he looked on at the pandemonium occurring down below. Peeking out from behind her corner too, Judy saw the same thing as well. All across the stage the pneumatic columns, which had been waving up and down, were now jerking chaotically as if some malevolent force was overcoming them. The dancers on top, shaken about and trying to keep their balance, were looking around desperately for an explanation for what was happening with some of them screaming out in fear. Then, suddenly, it was all over and the usual performance resumed as if nothing had happened. As the shaken performers quickly returned to their practiced routines, dancing to the ever building tempo, Judy pulled back and glanced up only to see Woolly looking right at her.

As she looked back, the two enemies both paused for a second before all hell broke loose. Judy pulled up her dart gun almost immediately and fired straight at him, the projectile flying through the air and embedding itself deep in his trench coat, only for it to bounce out again as it failed to penetrate the thick wool held beneath. Judy only had a second to register the horror of her failure, while her enemy looked on startled at her presence, before she ducked and charged forwards, her paws leaping up to wrestle control of Woolly's sniper rifle. Four paws clutching the weapon, the two mammals began pulling and tugging, desperate to shake the deadly instrument out of each other's hands, all the while gazing furiously at the other. Sliding around and hopping on the floor as she pulled, Judy noticed a small ridge and planted her feet firmly on it, crouching down before she began to give a series of powerful kicks, forcing herself backwards and tearing at the Sheep's fingers. Grunting and heaving as his weapon began to slip from her grasp, he pulled up on it and began to fight back, his heavy yanks almost tearing Judy from his perch before his finger slipped and pulled the trigger. Judy flinched down from pain, the loud POP of the airgun echoing in her sensitive ears as a dart raced past her, its fletching narrowly glancing the top of her head before she watched it bury itself in the bitumen roof. While unscathed, the distraction proved disastrous as Judy felt her feet slip from their footing as the Wolf pulled the gun up, her with it. Shaking it desperately over the edge of the roof, all his effort straining to toss her off and down to her death below, he watched as Judy grabbed hold of the muzzle with both paws and held on firm. The anger within him rising at the Bunny's persistence, he took a step back before he began to spin around, the gun and Judy flying through the air as if he were performing a hammer throw. As they spun and shook, the world around them transforming into an incoherent blur, their eyes met and fixed on each other once more. Judy's amethyst eyes were alive with fear, adrenaline coursing through her as she held on for dear life, desperately trying to fight the slipping and straining of her paws against the smooth metal. The eyes of Woolly's Wolf costume were, on the other hand, dead. Dead and empty, no motions or emotions, just empty blackness. But beneath them, Judy could sense a burning hate and evil which fired up her resolve once more. Looking over her shoulder, watching the world spin past, she held her breath and let go.

Woolly immediately stopped spinning. Stumbling around, he made his way towards a nearby vent and collapsed onto it, moaning as his dizziness began to dissipate. After a few seconds to recover he shook his head before looking over to where his enemy had landed. Lying down on the floor beneath a dented vent, Judy was slumped in a crumpled heap, still, helpless and moaning from the pain of her impact. Chuckling slightly, Woolly grabbed the bolt of his rifle and slammed it backwards and forwards, feeding in another dart before turning to look down at the performance. The section with the dancers on the plinths had come to an end and, despite the strange occurrence in the middle, the performers were being cheered on as their platforms lowered. There was only one raised platform left now, the massive one dead in the centre of the stage. Raised high up, the skirt decoration spinning faster and faster, he knew that it was minutes until Gazelle and her team were revealed, ready to meet their fate. Looking up, he fixed his gaze on the top of the tall tower nearby and slung his gun over his shoulder, ready to climb up it and get the perfect vantage point. He never noticed Judy open her eye, before slowly making her way forwards.

.

.

Clearing through the dust and gas of the control room, the three razorbacks marched in and immediately took up position. Scanning around, they sniffed for their target before their eyes rested on the hole in the roof tiling up above. The lead boar pushed back his two comrades and stepped forwards, his tranquiliser dart minigun hoisted off his shoulder and raised high, armed and ready. As Peter Roni and Brad Wurst stepped backwards, fingers immediately in their ears, the room was filled with the menacing whir of Frank Hunter's weapon spinning up, while a grin grew across his face. The mechanism was clicking methodically as it got up to speed, the multiple barrels spinning around in a blaze of fury, and then he pulled the trigger. The roar of multiple compressed air bursts a second filled the room, the repeated pops sending the whole squad wincing back as hundreds of darts screamed upwards. As his shaking arms held on tight the captain swept his weapon around, pointing it back and forth across the ceiling and releasing a swarm of projectiles, the cheap tiles disintegrated into white powder wherever they hit. His one working eye scowled furiously through the dust cascading down in front of him, while his injured one glinted with the reflection of light bouncing off of his weapon's spinning chrome barrels. His normally stoic, serious face descended into a manic grin as he swept left and right, going past the point where Nick had entered the roof space and making his way to the other end, beginning to laugh madly as he did so. The air was filled with dust, the view from the panoramic window at the other end reduced to a haze of light and, as the minigun spun down to a stop and laughter ended, silence filled it. Hunter looked forward and sniffed carefully, trying to pick up any tell-tale scents over the reek of gypsum powder while his brothers in arms looked at each other with confused, quizzical looks. Hunter only smiled, a smile that grew wider as a metallic groan sounded out, pulling the others attention forward. The groan sounded again, and then there was a creek, and then an almighty smash as a piece of ventilation ducting collapsed through the ceiling and landed on the ground. The nearest side was covered in a forest of darts, as if it were a porcupine, while cowering behind the other side you could just about see a Fox tale.

Nick's mind was spinning from the fall, his claws still dug in hard and fast to the metal of the duct he had sheltered behind. Nervously lifting his head, he just about made out the silhouettes of the Razorbacks beginning to advance before he turned forward and fled. Fear overtaking his body, he raced forwards with all his might to the nearest door, tearing it open and setting his eyes on a room loaded up with confetti over a hole, just before he felt a sharp yank on the scruff of his neck.

In the time it took for the flash of anger and fear at his violation to register and flow through him, Nick had already been pulled backwards and thrown at the control board. He just had enough time to register some kind of pin board in his sights before he hit it full on.

.

Outside, Judy looked up to see Woolly clambering up to a platform near the top of the tower. Passing by the bits of burnt detonating chord for the pyrotechnics, he swivelled around and began aiming his weapon. Almost immediately, she was running towards him. Pushing down with her feet, she leapt up to meet the tower halfway and latched onto it. A jolt of pain screamed through her head as it slammed against a cold metal support, followed by a rush of dizziness as her brain frantically buzzed about. Remembering her training, the humiliation, the pain; Judy commanded her arms and legs to start climbing and they obeyed. Ever so slowly, she was making her way up as the excited crowd down below reached a crescendo. Still making her way towards him, she allowed herself one glance down below and saw the great skirt finally recede. Opening at the top, before falling down so as to drape from the revealed stage like a dress, the swirling fabric that had previously covered Gazelle and her dancers was gone, leaving them wide open and ready to be hit.

"HELLO ZOOTOPIA!"

Judy's ears pricked at Gazelle's introduction as the crowd's volume peaked. It was deafening, whoops and hollers that would cover any sound of gunshot till it was too late.

"GAZELLE… GAZELLE…"

The crowd was cheering her on, completely oblivious to the risk and instead following the instructions on the Jumbotrons around the stadia, each one repeating the diva's name again and again and…

Judy pulled back in confusion as the silhouette of a Fox head briefly appeared on the screen, before shaking about a bit and vanishing. It was a simple reminder, but it was strong. Nick… She'd failed so far to take down this one mammal but he was against three. Pausing, the pang of worry flowed through Judy until a metallic click shook her to her senses. Up above, Woolly was slowly raising his gun, ready to fire. Realising that Nick would want her to stop him more than anything, Judy tensed up her legs and jumped.

.

A jolt of pain flashed through Nick's mind, before slowly receding. He registered that the back of his head was against something bumpy but he couldn't quite remember what it was. It was only when his blurry vision came into focus, and he saw three furious Boars looking down at him, that he remembered what had happened. Before he could speak, Nick saw a hand shoot out and felt his ear being torn up, spinning him around onto his front. Yelping in pain, his cries were silenced as a hoof slammed into the back of his head, smashing the end of his muzzle onto part of the desk and knocking the air out of his lungs. Dazed, he looked up out of the window to see Gazelle in the open, her band being showered by confetti from a bunch of surrounding tubes, before he picked up the sound of the Razorback's leader talking.

"You've caused us quite a lot of bother, haven't you FOX?" he practically growled, his voice bitter and full of anger. Nick felt the impact of another hoof lower down on his back, before he felt the pressure on his head vanish, only to be replaced with the muted pinch of his scruff being pulled back. As his head was tilted up and what little control of his limbs he had drained away, Nick peered back in terror through the corner of his eye, his gaze meeting his captors. "Quite an entertaining Fox hunt, wasn't it?" The battle scarred captain asked, sneering out his question with an intimidating voice that made it clear that he didn't want an answer, not that Nick could physically give one anyway, before he continued. "But now, you've been caught trying to do something quite, quite evil… haven't you. Let me tell you, we may be professional… we are professional… but even if you tell us now what you were up to, we still have 'hiccups' sometimes…"

The way that word was sneered out seemed to make it clear to Nick that those 'hiccups' weren't something he would be looking forward to. He kept on looking at the captain, who was now grinning widely as he pulled back and walked away. Nick's gaze slipped past him, briefly eyeing the waves of confetti funnelling down the chute in the annex room to be blasted at Gazelle, before he caught the sight of a Terracotta Boar with something long and thin twirling in his hand and shining in the light.

"I don't know why you don't like this, or why you left it at that Rabbit's place," he joked, before his voice turned darker. "But personally, I think it quite suits you."

Nick looked down and tried to recoil with shock as he realised with horror what was in that mammal's hands. His collar… the one his father had given him when he was five, before crying at what he'd done. The one that he'd worn around his neck like a noose for twenty-five years. The one that they'd strapped back on him when he'd been arrested, with every intention that he'd die with it still on. Still paralysed from the pull on his scuff, Nick couldn't begin to do any of the desperate shaking or panicking he wished to do as they got closer, instead only listen with panic at his furious heartrate beating away.

' _No… Calm down!_ ' the sudden order came through his mind like a flash and Nick closed his eyes. Shielding the outside world from his vision and entering the darkness, the echo of his pulse was louder than ever.

' _Control your breaths…_ ' In an instant, his frantic inhaling and exhaling became regular… measured.

' _Keep your mind clear, no bad thought…_ ' the chaotic buzzing in his mind began to vanish, instead becoming a clear emptiness. He thought he heard an order being given. He could register the shaking as his fake collar was removed. His skin was telling him that cool air was coursing through his fur, massaging his neck, before another feeling came through. Cold, hard, tough, cruel…

' _No. never let them see that they get to you…_ '

There was a click, a buzz, and then…

Nick opened his eyes slowly, peering about and seeing his reflection on the glass up above. An orange light, and then a green, hovering around his collar. Whatever happened, he wasn't going to get shocked again. Not today, not tomorrow, never…

"As we said Fox, we all make hiccups…"

Nick's ears pricked up as he heard a third voice behind him speak out. Peeking around through the corner of his eye, he saw movement as a small black box with a button was placed on the desk beside him before the terracotta razorback walked over, juggling a paperweight in his hoof.

' _SOD ALL THAT STUFF! THAT'S A F**KING COLLAR REMOTE! HE'S…_ '

Nick slammed his eyes shut in fear, desperately trying to brace for the upcoming torture as his collar beeped up to orange, before a SLAM pierced the room.

"OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS DONE TO THE PLACE!"

All three razorbacks turned to face the doorway, where the technician Nick had seen earlier was standing. Trembling as he looked at the scene of devastation in front of him, the mug of piping hot coffee in his hooves slipped through his grasp and began to fall. The surprise had caught the attention of his captors and Nick suddenly felt his scruff being released. With a sudden relief washing through him as he regained control over his body, he raced out towards the confetti chute. Tuckering up his back legs, imagining it was fresh powder snow in front of him rather than a hole, Nick pounced forwards and dived into it. Vanishing into the sea of newly cut confetti, he felt a set of compressed air jets push him forward. Racing down, his tail shot out of view just as the steaming mug of coffee smashed into the dusty carpet, spilling its contents everywhere.

.

Jumping up, Judy outstretched her arms as she rose up to Woolly's rifle. She could just register an odd look up puzzlement on his Wolf disguise as he saw her, before she smashed into its barrel and pulled it upwards, the cold muzzle rising up and hitting the steel wire just above him. Pivoting around, Judy let her momentum carry her and it to the side, twisting the weapon in his hands as she sailed forwards and grasped hold of the tower above him. In an instant, that look of confusion vanished from his face and he screamed, fury coursing through him as he began to yank and pull and tear down at his weapon, desperate to retrieve it.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE STRONG BUNNY!" he yelled madly, as he leant out into the void and began using some of his weight in his attempts to prize the gun from Judy's arms. "I'LL SHOW YOU STRONG!"

Judy pulled back, her paws screaming as they tried to keep hold of the barrel. Her teeth gritting as she tried to pull up, she looked down at the furious mammal below here. The butt of jokes. The moron. The bumbling lovable goof… and here he was, having ruined dozens of lives and preparing to kill. "Why?" Judy grunted, "why are you doing this?"

"You said it yourself Bunny," Woolly gloated back, still using the Scottish accent he adopted when in disguise, "I get a lot of money! What's not to like?"

"Making lives worse for…"

"CHOMPERS? You really know nothing, do you?"

"Think again Woolly…"

The disguised sheep paused, before a wide grin grew across his fake muzzle. As the two continued to fight he let out a sly chuckle, before talking once more. "Oh, clever one aren't you?" he said, his accent suddenly changing to that of the mayor's assistant familiar to everyone. "You really are a clever one, I mean Swinton is a very clever lady but she doesn't suspect a thing… You though…"

"It was fairly obvious," Judy grunted, lying through her teeth. "But why…?"

"Harm those vile chompers? You think I care the slightest about those psychopathic scum? I don't care what happens to those vermin, and getting a load off the street and into cells and the rest into ultra-safe collars… the cherry on top of my cake!"

"What did they ever do to you…?" Judy asked, her voice straining even more and barely able to speak as she fought to her limits, desperate to keep him away from the weapon.

"Nothing!" he barked back, "and that's the way I'll keep it. No more chompers getting fancy big ideas like your nasty little Fox friend. You know, when this is done I'm going to make you suffer… and when he's put where he belongs, in a little cell to rot away in by himself for the rest of his evil little life, I'll tell him just what I did to you! Every… last… detail…"

Judy tried to ignore him. She tried to put every ounce of energy left in her in keeping him away from the gun. Looking down, she desperately hoped that he would lean out some more, so that she could release him and watch him fall, but it wasn't to be. He was too careful for that and too strong for her, he was going to get his gun back. Gazelle, just singing out the first lyrics of try everything, would die at the paws of her companions, and she was powerless to stop…

A faint scream caught her attention. Looking up, she could make a blurry orange shape flying through the air towards Gazelle's stage. As the crowd's cheers began to turn into screams, Judy realised just who it was who was about to get front row tickets. Looking down, she made a split second decision and kicked out. Flying down and away from the tower, gun still in paws, she felt it hit the cable just before Woolly wrapped his fake paws around her feet. She heard him give a laugh in victory, which immediately turned into a terrified scream as Judy's momentum carried him off the tower. Now holding on to her for dear life, the two mammals began sliding down the cable and towards the centre stage.

.

In the centre of the stadium, raised up high on a stage, Gazelle was singing in full tempo with her cohort of dancers. Eyes closed and head curled down, she was putting all her effort into each and every last word and lyric and nothing could distract her.

"Birds don't just fly, they fall down and…"

**THUD…**

She pulled back with shock, her Tiger dancers immediately pausing their routine as well as they ran up to protect her, collars orange with worry. On the far side of the stage to her lay a trembling mass of red and white fur dressed in tan slacks, a green Hawaiian shirt and an orange collar. The entire stadium fell quiet, as it slowly got to his feet.

"Get up…" was all Gazelle could say, the words coming out in little more than a whisper as Zootopia's public enemy number one turned to face her.

"Hi… I'm Nick," he weakly said as he stood on his feet, still shaking like a drunkard from his hard landing. "My friend Ben really appreciated the signed photo…"

**THUD…**

Gazelle and her crew flinched back even more as two other mammals, a rabbit and a wolf, landed on stage. The former seemed to have some kind of rifle in her hands while the latter one had landed squarely on top of the Fox, flattening him into a moaning heap. Both mammals quickly got to their feet, their eyes stabbing fiercely at each other's like daggers, before the wolf reached into his coat and brought out the small gun the otter had given him.

"I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS!" he screamed in an oddly familiar welsh accent as he pointed his weapon straight at the unflinching Bunny.

"IT'S FUTILE!" she screamed back, "LOOK WHERE YOU ARE! THE GIGS UP!"

The wolf was taken aback, pausing as his looked around at the silenced crowd around him before fixing his eyes back on Judy. Slowly walking forward, he held up the gun once more only this time it trembled in his hands as he did it.

"We have video evidence of you darting all the Preds…" Judy said out loud, her voice captured like all others on the platform by the microphones nearby and broadcast for all to hear. "Turning them savage… I mean, look at this!" her hand reaching up as she spoke, Judy picked up the little recorder that had been perched by her ear, before tossing it at the wolf. His eyes opening slightly, he caught it in one paw before immediately crushing it, the dust and debris falling to the stage floor as he did so.

"Indeed you have, indeed you do…" he began again, only this time in the menacing highland accent he usually used for his disguise. Glancing to his side, he shot out a paw and tore Gazelles microphone from her, holding it up to himself as he spoke out. "Mammals in attendance!" he announced as he turned to face the crowd, his gun still aimed squarely at Judy "All of you. Mighty predators and weak, undeserving prey. How long, fellow carnivores, have we been denied fresh meat? The thrill of the hunt! Our right to murder…!"

The whole crowd murmured in shock as they digested his words, boo's beginning to ring out as he began to chuckle. "Don't tell me it isn't true fellow Preds, you lust at the birth right denied to you. To maim… to slaughter. They hem you in with the collars, subduing your burning passion to kill… but no more!"

Turning to Judy, who was now cowering at the edge of the stage, almost above the long fabric skirt that hung out from either side as it fell to the floor, he shot her one last wicked grin. "I was never making the Predators savage… I was giving them their hearts desire." He slowly pulled the gun up, its muzzle pointed just above Judy's head, before he swung it to his right and let out four ear piercing shots. The entire stadium seemed to scream as Gazelle's four dancers collapsed to the floor panting.

"RAJA…!"

Judy flinched as she heard the panic wail, before turning to see Gazelle racing over to aid one of her dancers, before turning to look at the others.

"ALEKSIS! SANGHA! YURI!"

Her voice was full of terror and worry, desperately trying to see if there was anything she could do to help the twitching masses of muscle she used to call friends. However, as a trickle of a tear ran down from her eye, she turned to face their attacker. "Why…?" was all she could manage to say, before the dancer she was tending to let out a roar, causing her to flinch back. The wolf merely laughed, before turning back to the crowd and speaking.

"Gazelle my fool. You are about to see what your 'friends' have desired to do… have lusted to do ever since they first saw you. As nature intended, they will tear you apart. Playing with you as they draw out every last bit off suffering, before devouring your flesh as is their right! Your demise will be the first of many, as we Chompers return to our rightful position as the rulers of…"  _PING…_

The Wolf paused, looking around as he tried to work out where that strange ping noise had come from.  _Ping… Ping… Ping…_  Suddenly very confused, he began turning around, desperately scanning as he tried to find where the repeating noises were coming from.  _Fwish…_

The entire crowd gasped and, looking down in horror, Woolly saw his belly swelling up as if he'd had one too many wafer thin mints. His trench coat was peeling up and out, weakened by a great tear in his back and revealing the wool beneath. There was a brief pause, before his entire corset came apart, his wool expanding out and tearing off all his protective clothing. With nothing to support them the fake fur on his limbs rolled down while his fake tail limply dropped to the floor. The only part of the disguise left uncompromised, apart from his fake feet and arms, was his head.

"Hey Woolly…"

The sheep felt a tug on the back of his mask as Nick climbed up it, grinning widely. With one long claw extended, he dug into the masks nose and pulled back. In less than a second the final part of the costume was cut clean in two, both halves falling weakly to the side and revealing Woolly beneath. The entire crowd went silent, as the sheep in wolfs clothing looked around at them.

"Aaaah, I've got a splittin headache…" was all he was able to say, bending down and cradling his head with his arms as he feigned the affliction, moaning profusely in his usual accent in a last desperate bid to give him some possible excuse or alibi before a loud roar caught everyone's attention. As Nick leapt off of Woolly and hurried away, the sheep was left facing two savage Siberian tigers, their soulless eyes dead set on him and ready to pounce.

"Oh…" he said, and then he screamed. Ducking down as two tigers leapt straight at him, they hit him with a thud, roaring and screaming as they tumbled off the stage and began rolling down the surrounding fabric skirt, pulling Woolly in tow. Claws out and frantically scratching, they tore and cut at both their Prey and the fabric they were on, tearing it as they went. As the delicate stitching began to tear apart under its own weight, the three hit the floor just as the Razorbacks turned up, immediately holding out newly loaded tranquiliser guns and darting every living thing they could see. From up above Nick looked over, smiling as he saw both Woolly getting captured and, looking up, the video of him darting the otter at the cloven hoof playing on the giant screens thanks to Honey and Clawhauser having hacked into the controls. He wished that moment could last forever, but then he heard Gazelle scream.

"RAJA! SANGHA! PLEASE…."

Turning to face her, Nick looked on helplessly as she desperately tried to talk some sense into her Bengal tiger backup dancers. She was distraught, crying as she tried to get across to them, only for the mammals that she knew as friends to growl and then pounce, intent of killing her. Nick closed his eyes and braced down expecting to hear the worst, only to hear the sound of a thud followed by two growling animals tearing at something as they fell away. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Gazelle lying alone on the stage with no one else around.

.

One second Judy was looking on as Gazelle was about to be killed, the next she'd thrown her out of harm's way, only to hit the floor and roll over the edge of the stage. Registering that she was falling down on some sort of fabric, she did the first thing that came to her mind and latched on. Her fall slamming to a halt, her arm screaming and the fabric tearing as she stopped, Judy paused to catch her breath before clinging on to her handhold with her other paw as well. After a few pants, she looked down to see the two tigers below her safely tranquilised while, up above, the stage was within reach. Putting one arm in front of the other, Judy began to climb only to pause as a sickening ripping sound caught her ears. Looking down with horror, Judy saw the skirt like fabric collapse beneath her, the stitching unable to take its own weight after the tigers had cut at it. As the tears ran along the stich lines, Judy immediately registered that she was just below one and clambered up, passing it just as the fabric below her tore off, leaving her hanging alone. She'd avoided death, but a fall from this height would be fatal. One hand after the other, she began her climb once more as she made her way to safety, only for her eyes to register with horror the sight of the fabric she was holding onto starting to peel off of the stage platform itself. Adrenaline coursing through her, she began to climb faster and faster. She was so close… just a few more seconds… just a couple… but the stitching gave way and, as Judy felt herself fall, she braced for the worst.

.

"JUDY!"

Her eyes opened. Looking down, spotting the scrap of fabric she'd been holding onto twirl away as it floated down the lethal drop, she realised she wasn't falling with it. Looking up, she spotted a maroon paw clasped firmly around her arm and a smiling Fox above it. His mouth trembling, part out of worry and part out of joy, he wore an orange collar around his neck and was struggling to think of what to say, before he smiled slightly and mumbled out a quiet joke.

"…I'm going to have to have words with whoever did THAT bit of sewing…!"

Judy couldn't help but grin at the snide remark, before she felt herself being hauled up. Her other arm, and then her legs, touched the stage and she fell forwards, landing slap bang into Nicks chest. Her breath frantic, she clung on to him, desperate for some comfort and finding it in his warm, soft and musky fur. She breathed it in, burrowing her head beneath his muzzle as she wrapped her arms around him and he wrapped his tenderly around her. She felt safe, a safety she wanted to last forever, and then she heard the first clap.

'Clap…Clap…Clap…'

What had started as one solitary mammal clapping had turned into a whole stadium of mammals clapping and cheering and shouting in applause. Now it was Judy's turn to be unable to think of what to say, instead slowly raising her head and looking around. As Honey played all the findings and details they'd found on the screens up above, and as thousands of phones rung as they received her email bomb, Judy felt the platform they were on begin to rumble as it slowly lowered. She turned to face Nick, looking deep into his eyes. She hadn't realised just how worn and tired both he and they looked, although they managed to be so in a way that was dignified. As he smiled, a huge toothy grin plastered on his muzzle, Judy couldn't help but notice the orange light on his collar.

"You Dumb Fox… How did that thing get back on you," was all she could say, the words coming out in a soft whisper.

"Fluff," Nick gently replied as he stroked her head smiling, "I'll tell you that story as soon as I've finished enjoying this moment…"

And with that the two mammals stood up. While Zootopia's favourite celebrity stood behind them, it was they who were receiving the roaring applause that was raining down on them. As the platform jolted to a stop, now level with the arena, Gazelle raced off to comfort her four dancers who'd been tranquilised and lined up by the razorbacks, their arms and legs tied together behind their backs. The three boars, standing over an equally comatose Woolly, looked on shell-shocked before their leader stood up and looked at the two mammals in front of him. He gave a short, sharp salute that was quickly repeated by his two subordinates as they too made the connections. The three mammals who'd pursued Nick across the city all gave a short nod before stepping to the side, and letting a rather frantic looking mayor run past.


	34. Chapter 34

_“Why should it have to be this way?_

_Why must there be this price to pay?"_

.

**Chapter 34:**

.

In all their excitement, in all their adrenalin, Nick and Judy had pretty much forgotten about Swinton. As she made her way over Judy nudged Nick and pointed at her, before turning her hand as if to raise her thumb in approval. Nick beat her to the chase, however, and raised his palm up to her. Smiling as he slowly nodded, while Judy gave a quick nod in return, it was clear that he knew that the Mayor was very much out of the conspiracy loop. However, to anyone watching from afar, that fact was very much clear unless you considered her an even greater actor than Woolly was. Wandering over, nervously glancing about as she went, the Sow was very much out of her element, her current behaviour making that fact abundantly clear to the entire stadium. Every step forward was cautious, jittering about here and there as if she were navigating through a minefield. Her eyes looked around, trying to take every bizarre fact in. It was almost too much to comprehend, as she looked up to see the giant screens above explain the details of this apparent conspiracy, show the darting of predators by her assistant, that 'Wolf's' confessions, screens talking about a 'savagery myth' and even some strange drawings of sheep shaped crop circle that quickly flicked past. Her head spun as she tried to grasps onto just one of the things that happened and focus in on it, the way her eyes darted about betraying how confused the once firm and confident mayor had become.

But it was the way she stopped and paused, looking down at Woolly, that really showed how much she'd changed. Always the perfectly presented, well-spoken mayor, she just gazed down at her former assistant with twitching eyes as if she were unable to take in the simple fact that he had been the villain. He had been the scourge of the city, its real public enemy who had managed to wreak havoc and evade all detection. She'd lost sleep over him, both when the first savage cases had occurred and due to the recent Con-Fox issue, apparently an innocent mammal who'd become a target of his plot. And then that same Con-Fox, and the Bunny Cop she'd sponsored herself only to see her go rogue, took him down together.

And there they were, standing beside her and being cheered on by millions of mammals, those two mammals who seemed to of saved the city but who were still at the top of its most wanted list. Their eyes met hers, just like they had when they thought she was the villain and broken into her penthouse for evidence, and Swinton pushed herself back into her element. Her spine straightening tall, her shoulders pulling themselves back, her clothes and jewellery rapidly neatened in a flurry of brushing and adjusting. Her ears flicking about as they took in the crowd's mood while her mind pondered over the gamble she was thinking about, she chose to go all in. Pulling out a spare microphone and slotting it into her lapel pocket, a smile returning to her face and her eyes, still baggy and red from the sleepless nights these two had caused, widening out. She stepped forward and trotted up to the two mammals, the Fox and the Bunny, and began to speak.

"I must say," she began as she extended her arm to Judy, her voice still flustered slightly from the nerves and shock of all the sudden revelations but smoothing out as she spoke. "When I became Mayor, I was never expecting anything quite like this!"

"Ditto for being a cop… Ma'am…" Judy replied nervously, before adding the courteous addendum as she took a bow and then pausing as she gave an embarrassed shrug. "I'm… sorry for…"

"Thinking I'm an evil one?" Swinton nonchalantly suggested, raising her eyebrows and giving a quick smirk as she spoke. Seeing that she was taking it in good humour, Judy relaxed while Swinton asked the question before replying.

"Yes, I…" Judy began, only for Swinton to suddenly interrupt her.

"Trust me, that's one of the things I did expect when I became Mayor. Practically at the top of the job description." There was a slight mumble in the crowd as mammals chuckled at the joke. Even Nick smiled, nodding in appreciation at Swinton's humour (although he reminded himself that it was nothing compared to his sharp wit). However, what she said next, made him smiled even more. "Another thing I did expect was to be proven wrong at one point or another, which I suppose seems crazy coming out of a politician's mouth… In any case, it seems like this entire city was proven wrong, me most of all, as someone we all overlooked caused so much chaos…" her voice trailed off slightly as she turned, glancing back at Woolly. Her eyes closed slightly while her ears perked down, it may have seemed like sadness for losing a friend or colleague but the fact her mouth hung slightly open as well showed that she still couldn't quite believe that he, the token sheep assistant, had deceived her for so long. Whatever her doubts, or her feelings at betrayal, she swallowed them and turned back to face forwards, smiling as she did so.

"In any case, if what your screens are saying is true, then I suppose multiple Predators put in quarantine for savagery will be released seeing as the issue isn't contagious as we suspected… And, considering the lives you've probably saved, I think that… a pardon might be in order?"

The Mayor paused as she spoke the words, nervously glancing about and lifting her ears to gauge the crowd's reaction, before her fears were allayed as they roared in support. Her gaze firm once more, she stood up to Judy and held her hand out to shake hers, gripping it firmly when she offered it. "Officer Judy Hopps. I admit there will be a fair bit of paperwork to fill in to get your pardon sorted out… Although, from the looks of things, not as much as the stuff you and the rest of the force will have to do with all this mess."

Looking up proud, Judy's smile gave an upward flick before she replied. "Thankyou… Ma'am. Although, I think the bigger pardon needs to go to Nick."

As she let go of the Bunny's paw, Swinton looked over to the Fox in question and paused, her mouth twitching as she remembered all that he'd done. That theme park of his, the escape, Little Rodentia, the mob at the cloud forest district, the fake collar that he'd been wearing… Looking up and down at him, his russet fur, his casual clothing, the orange light around his collar… Swinton stood up and smiled, her hoof outstretched to shake with his paw.

"Mayor Swinton," he began, his voice smooth, charming and courteous, "I must apologize for also… implicating you in… this. But in any case, Judy was the one who suggested you first!"

"Oh, no need to be embarrassed," Swinton cooed back, raising her other arm and flicking her hoof down as she spoke, before quietly muttering something as she gestured over to Judy. "Although, she might want a word with you later…" Ignoring the sudden scowl that appeared on the Fox's muzzle, Swinton stood up and turned to address the entire cheering crowd, before putting an extra bit of gusto into her next announcement. "As Mayor of Zootopia, I hereby pardon Mr Wilde, and his associates, for all their crimes in reward for services against terrorism and conspiracy, which alluded our best police officers and threatened to tear this city apart."

The crowd went ecstatic, cheering and whooping at the suitable reward for heroism they had just seen. Giving a courteous nod of her head, while the Fox to her side gave a great bow, Swinton stood up and cautiously put her arm around his shoulder, before leaning beside his ear and giving one last quiet bit of advice before she sent him on his way. "Just don't try anything crazy like that dangerous theme park of yours…"

"Wait, What!?"

Swinton jumped back at the surprised statement, her shock seemingly adopted by the entire audience who had become strangely quiet as Nick lashed out.

"Just why can't I?" he continued, his voice seemingly more offended than angry as he turned around to face Swinton, gesturing out with his arms as he spoke. "I mean, the only reason I was arrested was because one of my workers got darted! Technically, I wasn't even breaking any law in the first place!"

"Well… uh…" Swinton began, fumbling and lost for thought before Judy interrupted her.

"Besides… we found that savagery, or for that matter Predatory aggression, is a myth…" the Bunny calmly said before turning to face Woolly, the sheep still lying on the floor and snoring. "He was censoring any evidence that proved collars unnecessary, we got enough however to prove that they are… Everyone should have got an email with it all in there…"

As Swinton turned back to face the fox, she looked up and noticed thousands of bleeps ringing out, mammals getting out their phones and checking their emails. Those sounds were soon replaced with intent murmuring as those mammals, as well as Swinton herself (who'd pulled out her phone from her pocket), began glancing through what they'd been sent. After a quick look through her copy, scanning the summary of data and notes, Swinton put her phone down and almost began to spin on the spot, trying to register the mood of the crowd. Everywhere she looked she could see heated arguments and discussion, mammals talking to all those around them, exchanging opinions and different interpretations both calmly, passionately and aggressively as they tried to make sense of the revelation. Truly, she didn't know what the crowd wanted and her face twitched back with a slight hint of fear. Looking down, glancing at the Bunny and the Fox, Woolly, the tranquilised tigers… she took a deep breath in and made up her mind.

"Even if that's true… with a weapon like that, which can turn mammals savage… Surely it's better to be safe than sorry?"

 _Beep_ … **BUZZ….**

Swinton and Judy both flinched back as they saw Nick's collar go off, the Fox groaning in pain through his gritted teeth as he rode the shock out. His fur standing on end, his limbs twitching, his back bending as he hunkered down while his paw shot up to his neck… After three seconds of punishment, his clenched eyes opened up again and he fixed his bitter gaze on the Mayor.

"Have you even been paying attention? This won't work, Woolly developed a serum is that also limits a mammal's heartrate, meaning it can get around the collars. Did you see those tigers?" His voice was calm yet full of emotion as he jerked a thumb, motioning towards the bodies of the tranquilized dancers laying off to the side. "And even if the collars  _did_ work, a little zap like that will do no more than make a savage angrier."

"Yes, but…" Mayor Swinton calmly began, only to be rudely cut off by the now irate fox.

"But what?! You're going to continue collaring us Preds, feeding us excuses that these  _abominations,_ " he spat, violently gesturing towards the black device coiled around his neck, "are good for us, will somehow  _correct us? Make us tame?_  No, never again. This myth, this God-forsaken horrible  _lie,_  has to be erased."

Swinton shook her head, her voice suddenly tinged with fear as she began pleading, "Please, Mr Wilde. Let's keep calm and discuss this…"

Nick let loose a howl of insane laughter that chilled Judy to the bone. It was an emptier, maniacal version of the bitter mirth that she had once heard so long ago, each audible 'Ha' laced with irony. The mayor took a step back in fear as Nick stopped, before looking down at her and smiling. "Calm?" The fox asked softly, shrugging as he spoke. "I am calm. Look at my collar, it's still orange. This," he gestured to himself, "is the proud product of  _twenty-seven years_ of abuse and ignorance…  _twenty-seven years_ of insults and 'punishment'!" The Mayor began to back off as a hint of anger began lacing Nick's voice, growing stronger and stronger as he went on. " _Twenty-seven years_ of 'taming'! T _wenty-seven years_ of being trampled on by society and not being allowed to get the tinniest bit annoyed about it! T _wenty-seven years_ of hate and insults!  _ **Twenty-seven**_ **horrible years of being tortured, whenever any of my emotions get too strong!"**

Swinton stepped forward and opened her mouth ready to speak, only to be cut off once more before she could even begin as Nick, his voice no longer raised but still soaking in bitterness continued on.

"So if you think for one second, that you have the right to lecture me about containing my quite justified feelings, then don't even bother. I have more control over my body and mind than you, or any other ignorant Prey mammal, can ever imagine."

"I'm not…!" Swinton finally replied, before she began to frantically try and get her point across. "Just please, listen… the risks are too…"

"Too what, big!?" Nick shouted out, his piercing gaze only shifting from Swinton for a second as he checked the orange light around his collar. "What about a savage rhino, or an elephant? Going by your logic, every single mammal that could potentially cause harm through no fault of their own should be collared. In case you haven't noticed,  _Mayor,_ " he said, spitting out the final word with as much contempt as he could, "I could get squashed by a  _prey_ faster than I, yet alone an otter or fennec fox, could ever hope to even scratch them!"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. Nick, his back to the audience of predators and Prey, narrowed his eyes at the pig. For her, it was truly an intimidating sight, symbolic and poetic of the fugitive gaining the backing of the whole predator population, plus what must be a good portion of the Prey. There were many more, too, as cameras were aimed right at the duo, broadcasting their exchange all over Zootopia. Feeling all eyes trained on her, Swinton glanced at her citizens and felt fear, true fear, as she realised that she was truly lost for the first time in her political career. Running through everything she knew, looking up and trying desperately to read the mood of the crowd, her mind anchored itself on one solid rock hard fact as she attempted one last ditched attempt to regain control over the conversation.

"Don't be absurd… that would never happen."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "And pray tell why not?"

"Because prey don't go savage…" Swinton replied, shrugging as she spoke, her voice utterly nondescript as she spoke in a tone one would use to remind someone that 1 + 1 = 2. Internally, she cheered in triumph for gaining the upper hand in the debate. Everyone knew that only Prey never relied on violent instincts in the past, instincts that still lay dormant in the Predator population, ready to be triggered once more.

Then her smug smile faded when she found Nick had an even more confident grin plastered over his face.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, before waving his paw calmly towards her and shrugging. "Hmm, why don't we find out?" he said, before nodding towards somebody behind her.

The whole arena seemed to fall silent as Swinton turned her gaze to face the Judy, who was standing with Woolly's rifle in her arms, its barrel pointing directly at the Mayor.

"Judy…" she began to say slowly, only to be cut off.

"Mayor… I don't deny that I'm impressed with what you've achieved. But, I'm so disappointed…"

Judy raised the gun in her arms and wrapped her trembling finger around the trigger. It seemed like the entire audience held their breath, creating a deadly silence, until her finger dropped back down below.

"Judy… thank you," Swinton began, as the Bunny began to lower the weapon. Turning back to Nick, she even gave a small smile and a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I mean… we all know it wouldn't work…"

POP…

.

.

As the echoes of the shot slowly vanished in the midst of the giant stadium, Swinton slowly looked down to see the dart in her leg, hardly able to believe that it was there. Looking up at the mammal who shot her, the last thing she remembered was seeing Judy with the gun before she collapsed over forward, her mind turning red. As the Bunny dropped her weapon and ran over to Nick, the creature that had been the mayor began to shake violently, convulsing on the ground as a horrific mix of grunts, squeals and oinks began to blurt out of her mouth. Her eyes blinked several times, before turning a pitch soulless black as she stood up on all four feet and turned her eyes to the Razorbacks. A short, sharp squeal rung out, transmitted through her microphone to the entire city, as she charged straight for Brad Wurst at full speed. Nick and Judy could only look on and wince as the savage sow smashed into the razorback, knocking him over and jumping on top of him. There was a pained cry as she bit down, tearing at his clothes and trying to get at the flesh beneath, while her hind legs began bouncing up and down as she tried to kick him into submission. The soldier responded by flipping himself over, lying on top of her as he tried to pin her down, only to receive a flurry of kicks in return before his shocked comrades finally came over to his assistance. The two elder members flipped her back onto the top before grabbing her arms, tearing her off and holding her between them. As they kept the screaming, squealing, insane mayor under control, straining with each kick and shake she made as she tried to escape, Brad Wurst stood up and shot his furious gaze over to Judy.

"YOU BETTER HAVE SOME TRANQ'S ON YOU OFFICER!" he shouted, all the while trying to brush away the dirt and muck his fight had covered him in.

Judy just shook her head and, with a grunt, the three Boars manhandled Swinton away, although her barbaric sounds only vanished when one of them grabbed her microphone and threw it on the floor.

"Judy…"

Turning to face Nick, Judy paused as she reached into her pocket and fished out a set of darts, all ready and loaded for firing. Whatever he wanted to say, it was quickly forgotten as he chuckled slightly at Judy's little joke at the expense of the mayor's dignity. Their eyes met, Nick smiling at Judy's actions and Judy returning the favour, only to pause when she looked down and her eyes rested sadly on the little orange light strapped tight around his neck. Almost as if he sensed her concern, Nick looked down too and felt the noose tied around him. The noose that he'd worn since he was five. The noose he thought he was finally free of. The noose that he was now remembering that he'd wear till the day he died. Looking away from her, down on his knees as it weighed him down, his paw came up and nudged the device slightly. Then, after a pause it tried again. And again… Finally, with a huff, he gave up and slowly began to stand up, his collar finally returning to green as he did so.

"Nick," Judy finally replied, before turning to Gazelle and making a quick set of hand gestures. Waving from her to herself, holding something and speaking into it… there was an electric squeal as the pop diva threw over a microphone and Judy caught it, before deftly tuckering it into her shirt. Turning to face Nick, their eyes silently meeting, Judy reached down to where she'd kept a Fox Taser on her belt the first time they'd met. Only this time, her belt contained a collar key. Nick's eyes barely had time to open in surprise before he heard a buzz, a click, and then the sound of his collar falling into his hands. Turning around to face the surrounding crowd, who gasped in unison out of shock and fear, Nick knelt on the floor and looked down at the little bit of plastic in his hands, unable to take his eyes or mind off it as Judy began to speak.

.

"You know…" she began, her voice nervous and wavering slightly as she heard it transmitted to the entire city. "A month ago… if you'd have said that I'd of done that, I'd have had the same reaction you had. Everyone, the teachers, the books, the TV… they all said that I'd be practically committing suicide just then. But you know what? How did they know that? The thing is, they didn't… they were just like me and just like us… their teachers, their books, their TV… they said the same thing. And it's the same story for their teachers, books and TV… and the ones for those… The thing is when did we, as people now, ever question this…? We didn't. We just chose to follow the story as it made us feel safe. But, as I was pulled into travelling with Nick, I began to realise just what we were doing to keep ourselves feeling safe… Little cubs punished for the crime of being happy on their birthday, mammals just like us given warnings for feeling empathy… People whose childhoods would always be tainted by vile bullies forced to go through untold extra misery… Why do you think someone, when given the chance to take collars off, would make a theme park? Because with those things on… we tell them that fun is wrong! And, when my friend over here first got his collar off, do you know what he did…?"

There was a hush as Judy paused, turning to Nick and seeing him nod slightly, before she started again. "His friends said he cried all night out of grief… able to finally mourn the loss of his parents for the first time in his life."

The entire crowd seemed silent now, fixed intently on what was going on in the centre of the stage. Looking out, Judy could see that many mammals had moist eyes and lowered ears, but just as many were looking away, flinching as if something terrible was about to happen. Feeling a lump in her throat, Judy paused as the pang of stage fright washed over her, until she looked up and saw thousands or orange lights up above.

"Prey mammals of Zootopia! Ask yourself, please. When have you ever given Predators a chance? When have we ever done that? We've got proof here that these collars aren't necessary, and that means they're not a necessary evil, they're just an evil! Doesn't it? So why don't we give them a chance… Just for them to prove themselves… and let's learn their stories, try and make friends with them… If a Bunny can trust a Fox, can't a fellow mammal learn to trust another one too…?"

Judy cut off, her train of thought at an end as she looked up and around at the society she had just asked to do something unthinkable. There was silence… then a clap… a cheer… a boo… Judy's face lit us as the noise grew, yes there were many boos and hisses and angry calls that she was crazy, but for every mammal doing that there were two who were cheering her on. Looking over at Nick's face, Judy couldn't help but shed a tear as she saw it light up too, all while water began to flow from his eyes at what had just happened.

.

.

- **Meanwhile, back at the bunker** -

.

"Tha… Tha… That is the most beautiful…" Unable to continue, Honey broke down into a flow of happy sobs as she took in what was going on. Feeling a pat on her shoulder, she looked up from her paws and smiled at Clawhauser, before jumping up and hugging him. As he patted her, twitching slightly as she loudly blew her nose into his shirt, he smiled and whispered into her ear.

"I know… they're giving us a chance Honeybun…"

"Yup…" she managed to reply between her sniffles, "please tell me this ain't a dream or something…"

"No it isn't Honeybun… No it isn't… Isn't that right Fin!?"

Clawhauser turned and smiled as he looked back into the bunker, eyes resting on Finnick as he played out his forfeit. Hanging limply from a ceiling by a bulldog clip fastened around his scruff, the paralysed Fennec, wearing an angel costume/dress and a diaper, could only mumble a sound of mild agreement as he slowly spun around with the breeze. His eyes opened and looking on in pure contempt as Clawhauser wandered over, smiling.

"You know what… just for today I think we can forget about your stupid bets…"

His paw releasing the clip, his eyes watched Finnick fall to the ground with a puff, before they followed him walking forward to the computer, angrily mumbling all the way. Benjamin smiled, however, as he knew just how grateful his friend felt underneath his thick cover.

.

- **Back at the stadium** -

.

"HOPPS!"

Her ears pricking, Judy twitched them around and focussed them on the sound of the police chief who was marching over with a cohort of officers. Pausing as he took in the scene in front and around him, he pulled out his tranquiliser gun and aimed it at Nick.

"Sir…"

"HOPPS! I don't care about how feel good this crowd is… Nor whether that feel good stuff you say is true or not… As long as you're next to him and he doesn't have a collar, our policy is that you're in mortal peril!"

"With respect, sir…" Judy nervously replied, backing up towards Nick as she did so before jumping onto him, standing on his upper legs as her arms wrapped around him tight. Looking up at him, she turned to face back down and her confidence picked up once more. "Around him… I think I'm the safest I've ever been…"

As she spoke, Nick stood up, Judy clinging on tight as he held his collar in his hands. Looking over the dents and scratches that adorned it, he remembered how he'd been so proud and happy the birthday he'd unwrapped it. Closing his eyes and breathing in, he grabbed the end of the strap and raised it high, before bringing it down like a whip onto the hard floor. As it hit, the plastic casing smashed apart and there was a sudden flash as it gave out one last mighty shock, the force of the discharge sending its internal components flying high up into the air like fireworks, before they faded into the night.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35:**

.

" _Good morning Zootopia, this is Peter Moosebridge with the 9 O'clock news. Our top story today…_ "

As the news anchor began playing on the TV, Nick shuffled under the covers of his bed, rolling about on his spine and fussing up the pillow under his head. After impatiently shifting his body around, still trying to get used to sleeping on a proper full sized bed, he let out a huff of defeat before diving under the covers. Wrapping in on himself and pulling the sheet on him tight, he poked his head out meekly from under his cover and relaxed as he settled into the much more comfortable position. As he mentally made a note to buy a decent quality basket of some kind soon, ignoring all of Judy's chides about how cute but immature it was, he looked up at the TV and raised his ears as he listened on.

_"… Mayor Swinton's resignation has officially become permanent. While still relatively popular, although notably divisive after her recent policies and reforms, most commentators have been expecting it. Swinton, who has largely removed herself from public life after being turned savage on live TV, has refused to comment on…"_

Nick gave a quick chuckle as he saw a shaky recording of the former mayor running down a street, a magazine and thick black glasses shielding her from the prying eyes of the paparazzi who were flashing away mercilessly before she disappeared into a nearby building. He didn't expect to think this way, but some part of him would miss 'Premier Trotterski.' Sure, in his view she was a spineless career politician, but there were many of her kind who were far worse. Besides, he had to admit that she did do some good in this world before she left office.

" _Meanwhile at the ZPD central district and Cliffside Asylum, the last victims of induced savagery, as well as several others imprisoned for collar related crimes, are being released. One of Swinton's first reforms after her recovery, Predators formerly kept in permanent quarantine after turning savage are being granted their freedom now that it is know that they weren't victims of an unknown disease that could spread…_ "

The image on the TV switched to the outside of the ZPD central precinct where several mammals were filling out. Nick couldn't help smiling when he saw Jorge among them, the large bear evidently tired from his experience (and a fair bit thinner to boot) but otherwise looking fine. Thinking back to the events of that fateful night, it was a strange thought that the Bear had probably felt even more helpless and confused than Nick did himself over the course of those few weeks. Whatever the case, Nick made a mental note to visit his old landlord sometime in the future, before turning back to watch the headline he'd been waiting for in the first place.

" _Another key reform of course was the collar free trial period, put in place after the revelations at the Animalia concert. The last, and by far the most controversial bill the former mayor passed, it permitted the removal of Tame collars for one year before their future would be decided by a city wide vote. Although polls a year ago, before all the recent events started, suggested an 80% vote against such a move, it had fallen to 50% in the days after the release of censored documents and other studies…_ "

Nick took a deep breath in and closed his eyes, the tension killing him. His paw reached up to feel around his bare neck as time seemed to slow, his paw pads fussing through the thinned fur and rubbing his sensitive skin as they tried to unknot the hard muscles beneath. The last few months had seemed like a dream, he just hoped that he wasn't about to wake up to a nightmare again.

" _…the collar ban has also seen the sales of personal safety devices soar, with brand leader Fox-Away alone reporting a tripling of sales and a major shor… Oh… hang on,_ " the reporter continued, holding his hoof to his ear as he listened closely to the message, all while Nick opened his eyes and looked on. " _Well, it seems like the collars may be gone for good, with 60% for continuing the ban and 40% against…_ "

Nick breathed a sigh of relief, his entire body slumping down as the nervous tension that had built up in it released. Things were moving forward… it wasn't just a wonderful dream. This could be real life. Nick smiled and relaxed, looking up and taking in the news as it came.

" _In any case, many Zootopians are embracing the new order. While the hashtag, me and my Pred friend, is still trending at the top of social media sites, many companies have pledged to take in more Predators at various roles, including our own! Which I think is an opportune time to introduce my new co-host, Fabienne Growly…_ "

The camera pivoted to the right, revealing a stunning Snow Leopard sitting by his side. Well-groomed and dressed, she smiled to the camera and stood up tall as if she'd been born for the job. And then she spoke, her firm voice flicking Nick's ears back and sending a shiver down his spine, and he knew that she had been.

" _Hello Zootopia, I am Mrs Growly and I must say it is a privilege to be given this position. While I've worked for ZNN for many years in the offices, I've always wished to be on the front desk. Now, thanks to some in-house auditions, I'm here ready to help keep all citizens of our fair city well informed…_ "

" _Yes, I'm looking forwards to working with my new colleague for the foreseeable future… In other news… Kuh… KUH!_ "

Nick pulled back, flinching as the newsreader let out a set of hacking coughs as something caught in his throat, his body loudly tried to expel it. After a few coughs, whatever it was that had been irritating him was out on the floor, although his mouth still looked strained. Thankfully, though, he had a co-host nearby who effortlessly took over from him.

" _In other news, many pro Predator groups are calling for the referendum scheduled to take place in ten months' time to be cancelled, citing the rising opposition to collar reintroduction. While backed by many high profile figures, led by pop singer Gazelle, the notion has faced stiff resistance by many Prey-safety groups who cite the rising predator crime rate as a key reason for reintroducing the collars. Opposing sources have, however, criticised this seeing as the rate is still slightly lower than the Prey average, while at the same time anti-Pred hate crimes have doubled. Talking about averages, I believe our wind speed average is set to increase with the coming gales. Over to our…_ "

Nick phased out as the weather report begin to flick by, before stretching an arm out to his bedside table and picking up his phone, scrolling through the contacts list before dialling a number.

.

**-At the ZPD-**

.

Down at the ZPC precinct, Judy was walking past the holding cells, looking inside and making sure that each and every prisoner who had just returned from their meal was safely detained. Her walking paused, however, when her phone rang and, fishing it out her pocket, she looked at the number on display and smiled before answering.

"Nick…" she chided, rolling her eyes as she spoke. "What did I say about calling me when I'm still on my shift?"

" _Seeing as your shift finished five minutes ago, I don't see the relevance of that_."

Judy chuckled slightly, before giving an irritated grunt as she began to vent her frustrations from the night shift. "We had a load of problems after someone decided to let a mouse sit next to a certain elephant at dinner. Half the shift was spent cleaning up the mess and… ugh, it all overran… OK? And please don't be sarcastic with me from your bed when I've been working all night!"

"…  _for your information, I was up and active ages ago_."

"So, have you found the package?"

" _Package…?_ "

"I'll take that as a no then…"

" _I haven't had time to check my mail, I've been watching the news… The poll was good by the way; I'm beginning to think we've actually turned a corner or… well…"_

"Well what…?"

" _I'm a bit annoyed that they chose not to include one very, very important news article in their headlines…"_

"Oh stop complaining," Judy chided back. "I'll be there soon, and I think I know something that will cheer you up…"

Hanging the phone up, Judy wandered over to one of the cells and looked in. Through the tough, bullet proof perspex she saw Lenora, the half mad rhino inmate who was considered the forces most powerful coercion device. Sitting next to her, as he'd been for the last two months, was Woolly. The master criminal who had deceived and alluded her, and the rest of the force, for two years just stood their silently. His head held down, eyes fixed on the floor, he just grumbled as the wool was slowly unpicked from him as Lenora practiced her knitting, numerous jumpers and scarfs lying about evidence enough of her work (along with the fact the sheep was practically bald at this point). Well, at least it was better obsession than her pets, that was one thing. Flicking out her phone and taking a quick picture, Judy turned to head back to Nick's place, her shift for the day complete.

.

-  **Nick's place**  -

.

Walking out of the elevator, stifling a snicker as he slipped his phone back into his pockets, Nick wandered over to his mailbox with his key twirling in his hands and opened it up, his eyes fixing on the large brown package within. As he slowly pulled it out, his ears immediately flicked up with curiosity when they heard the strange ticking coming from it, before he eagerly extended a claw and tore it open. Folding up the top of the package and peeking in, his eyes widened with shock when he saw what was inside.

Clothes…

Freshly cleaned, ironed and folded, treated with all the proper care and respect. His clothes, the ones he'd been arrested in, his…

As soon as the sudden realisation flashed through his mind, Nick dove his hand in and immediately felt a familiar, smoothing, velvety strip of fabric nestled deep inside. Pulling it out, he felt his heart race as he was reunited with his precious tie. Through all the excitement and energy of the last few months, Nick hadn't had time to think about the stuff he'd been stripped of when he was arrested. But now, as he carefully wrapped the precious item around his shirt collar and knotted it up, he realised how much he missed it. Pulling the knot tight so that it cuddled his neck in a good way; running his paws methodically and repeatedly along it so that his pads felt each and every little weave, bump and divot; smelling the fresh yet still cosily old fabric while his ears drooped down… Nick closed his eyes and remembered… He remembered the love, the care, the loss… He remembered the last words and the hug… and the promise. A stray paw reached up to his bare neck and slowly ran along it… he'd never stopped dreaming, hadn't he? And look at the silly thing he'd gone and done. Nick just let his breath and heartrate slow, steadying them out as he mellowed. He let his mind empty of thoughts and worries and, smiling as he did, slowly pulled up the end of the tie and gently kissed the golden initials embroided into the fabric.

"Nick!"

He jolted awake again, glancing around before his eyes dropped, fixing themselves on Judy before he spoke out surprised. "That was quick!"

"No… usual time…"

Pausing, Nick fished into the bag and brought out his watch, his face tuckering up as he did so. "Yup. usual time… and Judy…" Turning to face her, Nick gave a quick smile before bending down and gently hugging her, his muzzle resting over her shoulder and their chins gently rubbing.

"… Thankyou…"

.

.

A dozen or so minutes later, Nick's red sports car roared along the road, turning left as it made its way onto the long bay bridge before picking up speed. As Nick drove along, Judy in the car seat and four pairs of ears flapping in the wind, his head turned slightly as it made out the shape of a familiar warehouse down on the shorefront down below. Its roof was now filled with multiple windows to let in natural light, new attractions and buildings stood in the empty space that lay outside which was once used for loading goods in and out, while the speedy care on top had been done up as a proper entrance rather than the fake front it had been. Never the less, the place down below was still Wild Times. His Wild Times. Or rather, Wilder times, as it was now called. The place where Predators had come to have fun without the fear of their collars going off, now ready to reopen once more.

"Glad to be back?"

Nick's ears pricked as he turned to face Judy, before shrugging and looking forwards. "Yeh…" he replied quietly, as he mused over everything. Seeing as everyone knew about it now, and the whole no collar thing was entirely legal, Nick had made it a legitimate business. But that had been a lot harder than it sounded and cost huge amounts of money. First off, at Judy's behest they'd had to pay all the back taxes and business rates they'd previously avoided, which ate up a big chunk of their savings. Then there was the issue of building and safety codes, which had meant rebuilding or changing many of the rides. Thankfully there was nothing that needed to be removed, but some of the required safety upgrades, especially for the Cat-A-Pult, had still taken a long, long time. Clawhauser, Honey and Nick himself had all designed and built a few new rides as well, and that had thinned down their savings further. They were still well off, no doubt about it, but Nick silently thanked himself for paying off Kozlov quickly and easily, getting himself a place forever on the mobster's good side.

"Nick, it'll be fine!"

Turning around to face her, Nick gave a small smile that faded as he turned back to face the road ahead.

"I'm serious…" Judy continued, "half the force was asking me for opening night tickets."

Nick coughed in surprise, his eyes widening as he turned to face Judy again. "I… I… but they're all Prey…"

"So?" Judy said before scowling, "you're not..."

"NO, NO… not that! I mean, I was worried about pulling in enough of the Pred crowd now that our service is no longer unique… but a load of Prey right off the bat as well?"

"I guess they want to live a little on the wild side…"

Nick chuckled slightly and smiled back, his grin wide and firm this time as he relaxed, before relaxing further as Judy spoke some more.

"I mean… you've been building some Prey themed rides haven't you?"

"Well, Clawhauser and Honey mostly," Nick replied as he turned off the main road, making his way towards the entrance. "We've got some bucking Bronco's that mammals can hold onto for as long as they can. We've used some fans to make skydiving simulators for smaller mammals, I think that flying squirrels will really love those. And for you, I designed something called the warren weave."

"Warren weave…?" Judy asked curiously, as they turned into the car park and slotted into the nearest bay.

"Oh, it's this big 3D maze for rabbit sized mammals that shifts and tilts and switches about, and there's all kinds of things like air blasts and little attractions inside... Finnick says it's great!"

"Sounds fun," Judy chuckled, unbuckling her belt and getting out as Nick did the same. "What about stuff for your regular crowd?"

"Well, I was lacking something specifically for fellow vulpines, so I've set up this multi-level snow diving thing. Do you know hard it…" Nick's eager voice suddenly trailed off to a whisper as he stood and froze still, his body shifting around to face the former Speedy Care. Judy, looking up at him as he did so, stepped back cautiously as she realised that something was very wrong. The confident fox she knew now seemed very weak and helpless, his mouth and eyes trembling and one of his paw's clutching his tie tight, fussing with it furiously as he tried to calm himself down. His tail was hanging limp and his ears pulled back, while he blinked furiously as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. Judy began to rush around the car to see what was wrong before stopping dead in her tracks, her eyes fixed on the two figures by the entrance to the former Speedycare. Sitting together, eyes closed as they hugged each other in a tender embrace, were a pair of foxes. For a moment, the world seemed to pause before the darker of the pair happened to glance up, before standing up with his companion in tow as he spotted them, both their reactions just the same as Nick's. While she'd read up about Nick's personal life when she'd been tracking him, her mind seemed to freeze until Nick, chocking with shock and cocking his head sharply to his side out of confusion, managed to utter out two quiet words.

"Mum…. Paps…."

.

Nick just stood there, looking over at the strangers in front of him, his head still fixed in a confused tilt. Deep down, he realized who they were but… it just seemed impossible. For every year he'd spent with them, he'd spent three alone. For every time he'd wished they'd been beside him, he'd told himself a thousand times that they might as well be dead. Even after the changes, the news report, everything… He'd hammered out the notion that he'd ever see them again for so long that the idea things might change…

But here they were… They looked like strangers, their once fine clothes seemed so pale and worn while their once vivid fur seemed so dull and grey, all patchy and riven with silver hairs. But looking past their now gaunt figures and tired eyes… it was them. It truly, deep down was them.

For their part, they looked equally confused as well, their heads tilting sharply too as they looked back. The last time they'd seen their little boy in person was when he was still a kit, no more than eight. And then, after twenty-four years separated from him and each other, he's all over the news on the little TV's in their cells. After crying for him, then cheering for him, then holding their breath for weeks as they hope nothing else comes up… he pops out in the middle of a stadium full of mammals, gets his collar removed and everyone cheers. Then their collars come off too, then they're release into the open world after so, so long. There's only one place they can think to go after so long, the place they knew their son might turn up at and here they meet each other, reuniting after so much time apart, crying into their lover's arms for hours until a car with a familiar Fox turns up. Some part of them couldn't believe that he was who they knew he was too, some part still hoped that they would see their little Kit as if the misery of the last two decades and a half had never happened, but deep down they knew too. It was him. Truly, deep down they knew. It was their son, all grown up, brave, tall and handsome.

.

Back by the car, Judy discretely pulled back as she watched the reunion unfold. It seemed so quiet, so still, until the Fox that must have been Nick's father righted his head, took a few tentative steps forward and weakly spoke out.

"Nick…."

Nick too brought his head back onto the level, his ears flopping slightly as they returned to their upright standing, and he took a few steps forward, slowly as he did it before replying, his voice beginning to waver slightly, cut off by a sniff or two, as he broke down. "Dad…."

There was a pause, and then they all ran at each other. Three Foxes… three members of a once happy family that had been cruelly torn apart… three mammals who loved each other… racing out to meet each other after so long adrift.

As he slammed into them, Nick held his arms out wide and took both his parents into a wide hug, clinging to them tightly as if he never planned to let go again. Two pairs of arms wrapped around him in return, two heads straining up to reach over his tall shoulders and pull in close, their furry cheeks rubbing and fussing against his as they embraced. Nick had been breaking down before, but now he was bawling and crying out loud, Judy's ears picking up each and every one of the tear strained sobs that racked his body.

"I… I missed you…" he wailed, "I missed you every single day and… and… I never… I never thought… that… that… I love you! I've always loved you…! Please never go away again… please…"

As Nick cried, the tears pouring freely out of his closed eyes and dripping down his fur, his mother cried too, just sobbing silently into his neck as she held her precious Kit tighter and tighter. Judy could see his father's eyes water up too as he spoke out, his proud voice wavering as he went.

"I… I missed you too son… you… you didn't stop dreaming… you never stopped, didn't you…?"

"No…" Nick tried to reply, his response coming out as more of a wail as he tugged his parents in even tighter, "I didn't and… did I make you proud… did I make you proud Paps…"

"You… you did son… you really did but please stop crying… cause… if you cry and mum cries then I…" he paused slightly, letting one paws rise up and brush the side of his neck, before he nestled into his son some more. "I LOVE YOU….!." he screamed, before he too broke down into tears.

.

As Judy looked on at the three, each one holding each other with their arms and tails embracing as they shed tear after tear, their voices replaced by tragic, heartfelt wails, she sniffed slightly as she felt herself begin to tear up, turning and walking away as she did so.

"Foxes…" she managed to say through a stifled sob as she rubbed under her nose, before tears began to flow from her sad, sad eyes as she too broke down and cried. "So emotional….."

.

_"So long, Marie-anne, it's time that we began,_

_To laugh and cry and cry,_

_And laugh about it all again."_


	36. Chapter 36

**Epilogue:**

.

Flying in from the west, over vast pine forests and sweeping hills, you can see a ridge of mountains coming up in front of you, their weathered peaks blocking the view beyond. And as you pass over them you see in the distance, over the expanse of a great azure bay, a gleaming city that's getting larger by the second as you come in close. Carrying on over land once more, as you follow the path a great wall with a baking desert on one side and freezing tundra on the other, you approach the great forest of gleaming towers in the city's centre, all perched together on top of a hill. Weaving through them, past offices and penthouses alike, you begin to sail down across a great expanse of houses and flats that sprawl out in front of you.

" _This is my town,_ " the voice of Nick narrates, proud and confident as you swoop down low, passing over roof after roof before making your way across another wide bay, heading straight towards a set of brightly painted warehouses on the other side, all of which are bustling with activity.

" _Zootopia_ "

Inside, screams of joy and happiness are ringing out as hundreds of mammals play and unwind, enjoying every second of their time there. Through the bustling crowds and running children, Nick Wilde walked forwards, a swagger in his steps as he looks left and right at the many patrons he's busy entertaining. His ears perking up at the sound of something making a springing noise, he glanced over his shoulder and looked on at a trio of Arctic Fox vixens bouncing up and down on a set of diving boards. Facing away from the ledge, they built up the energy in their legs, as they jumped up and down several times before leaping off backwards. In perfect sync, they tuckered in their limbs and tails and performed a flawless double backflip before they landed head first into a deep pit of soft snow with a satisfying crunch. Their legs and tail sticking out, the former kicking helplessly away at the air, they seemed stuck until the whole heap erupted into a flurry of powder as their giggling heads emerged, shaking about to clear off the snow trapped in their fur. They started to help each other up before jumping back in surprise at another loud crunch as a familiar looking gazelle dived in feet first next to them, burying herself down to her neck in the soft powder. She gave them a quick smile before all four women flinched back at the sound of an almighty thud, as a well-built Tiger belly flopped in next to them before letting out a pained groan.

" _Land of opportunity…_ "

Smiling as he took his eyes away from the snow dive, Nick spotted a familiar looking Bear in a Wilder times uniform waving in a bunch of patrons. As he waved over to the Bear, and the Bear waved happily back, the crowd of mammals continued to walk over, congregating around a small stall manned by a portly fox who was busy selling stacks of baked treats and pastries.

" _Where any mammal can achieve their dreams…"_

Putting his paw down, having finished waving to Jorge, Nick looked over to the jump and stick where a Tiger cub had just landed on the velcro wall, sticking to it firmly before several other young predators followed. There was a short paused before a portly Hippo crashed into the wall beside them before tumbling off, laughing all the way.

" _And if you're a chomper?_ "

Somewhere in a park, Nick and Judy walked along a path holding hands, taking in the sights around them while Clawhauser and Honey followed in much the same fashion, albeit licking a shared pawpsicle every now and again. The Fox's ears pricked up as he heard someone calling his name, before turning down and looking at two mammals standing by him. One was a Bunny Kit, not far off from being a teenager, and holding his hand was a shy looking bat who was holding up a pen and notepad. While Nick smiled and Judy swooned from the cuteness of the scene, they took their turns to sign their names before shaking the children's hands and walking on.

" _AKA. You're descended from a line of mammal that, like thousands of years ago, ate other mammals…"_

Carrying on down the path, Nick paused as he looked up at a billboard advertising Wilder Times, his grinning cartoon visage on display with two proudly raised thumbs, only to look away again as he saw the graffiti scrawled all over it. A frantically buzzing collar around his neck, his teeth drawn out into evil fangs and eyes glowing a hateful red, Nick looked away before he could register any more. He didn't make out the jagged claws sticking from his fingers, the blood pooling and dripping out from his mouth, the muzzle fixed tightly around it, the straps at the back and metal at the front replaced by barbed wire. He didn't read the scrawling messages, telling the world not to trust a fox, or a chomper, or to beware of a Pred, or telling him to go home to the jungle… He didn't even spot the small drawing of a rabbit in a police officer's uniform, all mangled up while a large label called her a chew toy. Instead, he looked down at Judy and held onto her tight as they walk away.

" _I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to say it's all fine_ …"

In a derelict part of town, three Foxes stood alone outside a smashed and ruined storefront. The two older ones just looked at the floor, shuffling their feet slightly with heartbroken eyes. The lighter one, a Vixen, rubbed her eye with a paw to dry off a stray tear, before she jolted slightly and smiled. Looking up, seeing her son rest a gentle arm on her shoulder, she slowly turned to walk away.

" _That everything's going to get happy and nice overnight_ …"

In the heat of Savannah central, an adult polar bear walked down the sidewalk with his son in tow. Despite only wearing shorts and no shirts, they struggled with the heat, panting as they went. Suddenly the little cub looked up and his eyes opened with delight as he ran forwards, jumping up and down with glee as he stopped and stared inside a huge ice-cream store, stocked with frozen treats and run by a bunch of elephants. Only he's pulled away by his father, despite protesting, and only receiving a sad look in explanation. Glancing back at the store, his frantic pointing ended as his eyes fixed on a small sign placed discretely in the corner of a window, not understanding what it meant but knowing that it wasn't nice. 'No Chompers'.

" _But you know what? Those who go out of their way to hurt us, it's their loss in the end._ "

Walking on, the little cub began to cry only for his face to light up as his father walked him into a different ice-cream store. Getting into the long but fast moving line, the cub looked around in glee at ludicrous variety of ice cream being eaten by large Pred's and Prey alike. Before he knew it, he's at the front counter and giving his order to a large rhino who has a warm smile on his face.

" _As, with a little trust and faith in each other, we can do great things._ "

Near the centre of Zootopia, John and Marie Anne Wilde, with Nick in tow, fitted a sign to the top of a corner store that sat at the junction of five streets. Proudly reading 'Suitopia', the three mammals took their time to stand back and look at it with pride before Nick rested his paws on his father's shoulder. His Dad gave him a quick look back, smiling and sniffing slightly, before holding his hand and walking in, the rest of his family in tow.

" _Now, am I saying we should forget the past? Well, if I am then I'm the pup of a maned wolf…_ "

Bumbling down a high street, a rather dim looking Hippo stopped at a daycare centre and knocked the door. As it opened, she asked a quick question to the surprised Mare in charge before wandering off, despite the horse's protests. One hand outstretched, she held up a Fennec Fox vixen for all to see, tightly clasping her by the scruff of her neck. While her captor babbled and gurgled a variety of baby talk, cooing about how cute she is or how she shouldn't run away from day-care, all while roughly fussing with her limp tail, the helpless Fox just hung there paralyzed. Eyes closed as she tried not to look at all the mammals seeing her complete humiliation, all she could do was slowly cry until a loud shout jolted both mammals to attention. Before the Hippo could react, another Fennec Fox leapt up onto her snout before marching along the bridge of her nose, yelling furiously as he held his baseball bat up high. Getting the message, the Hippo released her captive and ran away while Finnick stepped over to her. Shaking as she got up onto her feet, the vixen, slightly younger and taller than her saviour, sniffled slightly as she tried to clear her tears. Feeling something warm around her shoulder, she looked up to see Finnick silently comforting her. Smiling, and saying thanks in return, she let him lead her to somewhere where she could regain her bearings and composure.

" _Because we can't ignore or forget what happened…_ "

In a dark and gloomy sitting room, ex-mayor Swinton was watching the TV out of the corner of her eye while idling through her phone. She was a mess, her clothes comprising of a crumpled and ill-matching pair of pyjama tops and bottoms, while her face was baggy and tired. Hovering over the contact for Brad Wurst, she paused as she messed a bit with her chaotic hair, before her ears perked up as she heard something on the TV. Looking over, her eyes opened with shock as she saw the recording of her getting shot at Animalia play out. Closing her eyes and grimacing out of horror, she looked away, desperately clawing for the remote before finally grabbing it and managing to change the channel just as the first degrading squeal rung out, the sound sending a shiver down her spine.

" _But rather than hold on to all the pain and anger, we should let it go and become the change we want, rather than the change we wish to come to us._ "

Standing tall in her police uniform, Judy stepped forward to pin a badge onto one of the new recruits, a rabbit just like her. As he saluted her, his eyes wide and alert as he looked on at his hero, she moved over to the next new officer, a white wolf whose muzzle was wearing a wide grin as he smiled pride. As he bowed down to receive his badge he glanced to the side, past the cohort of other waiting mammals standing tall in their parade blues, both Predator and Prey, and fixing his eyes on a crying she-wolf with the three young girls by her side.

" _And while it may seem like there are many on their side that won't let go…_ "

Outside the central courthouse, Woolly was led out of a car by a set of officers, his hands in cuffs as he went in to receive his sentence. The whole event, being filmed from the side and narrated by the new snow leopard news anchor, was going smoothly until he saw her. His eyes scowling furiously, he lunged forward and almost slipped free from his escorts, the vile screams of 'chomper' coming from his mouth scaring the reporter and making her flinch away.

" _And many on ours too…_ "

Deep in the depths of the winter palace, the Razorbacks sniffed around for evidence while Judy, dressed in the same TUSK uniform and wearing an irritated scowl on her face, interviewed a laughing Kozlov. Her ears pick up and she turned to see the squad moving out, their shoulders hunched over as they huffed in defeat. Wrapping up her interview, she gave the mafia boss a quick apology before following suit, leaving the bear alone in the giant freezer. Glancing to his side, he wandered over to a giant popsicle and spun it around, chuckling as he did so and revealing the frozen corpse of a familiar looking weasel inside, his tame collar still attached. Turning it around to hide the victim once more, Kozlov dusted his paws and left the place.

" _Just remember that there are so, so many more who, with a little bit of help and guidance…_ "

Thousands of mammals were taking up their places in the Oasis stadium, sitting down and eagerly awaiting the upcoming performance. While, in the back, the pop diva Gazelle and her dancers signed their autographs for a rather excited chief of police who was currently heading her security detail, Clawhauser sat in the crowds trembling with excitement. As he looked on Honey leant over to cuddle next to him, planting a quick peck on his warm cheek and receiving one in return. Nick, looking up at them from the seats below, smiled and looked over at Judy who was sitting next to him. As they sat together, munching popcorn from a shared tub, he slowly leant in with his arm outstretched only for Judy to shoot hers out, snagging him around the back and pulling him in tight. Nearby sat Nick's parents, looking up at their son and chuckling before turning forward, their heads resting tenderly on each other's as the crowd erupted in applause. Even Finnick, the eternally disinterested Fennec Fox, had his interest piqued. Tipping his head down, he let the black glasses along his muzzle slide forward, letting his eyes spot Gazelle and her dancers arrive on the stage, rising up from below. Amazingly, a small smile formed on his mouth, before it was stretched out wide by the arms of the familiar looking Fennec vixen sitting next to him. Shaking her off, he, she, and the rest of the crowd went silent and looked forward in anticipation.

" _are happy to try everything.._."

"OH OH OH OH OH…"

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_"Try everything…"_

_._

_._

**Authors notes: For those who've only read this on Ao3, my Fan-fic version contains an 'authors notes' section, explaining my thought process used during the creation of this Fic. I'll also be uploading chapters of ZTOP's AU 'sequel', Coming to reward them, until I get up to the same number of chapters as my FF.net version. Once there, chapters will be released simultaneously.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After my AU of ZTOP, a Lead role in a cage, got taken down by fanfic without warning, I decided to make sure that there were no places that admins could pick on in my other fics. That involved moving this authors notes chapter, which includes fic recs, a review of a different original plot reconstruction and the logic behind mine to A03.

**Authors notes:**

**Thankyou very much for reading ZTOP. If you enjoyed it, try out my new Fic 'Coming to reward them' and its prequel, Believe in me Baby, which are set in an AU of this Fic where Nick's parents plan succeeded, letting them flee from Zootopia and start anew.**

**This entire chapter is an author's notes for this entire Fic. I did it as part of my final re-read/ re-write before signing it all off as complete for several reasons, which I'll get onto later. For my regular followers, this update means I've finished my re-write of the Fic. I've cleaned up all the other authors notes, and added to/ reworked the earlier chapters (1-13), with the entire Fic's wordcount jumping from about 150,000 to 160,000.**

**I'd like to thank my proof reader, Ultimateblack, for his hard work and sage suggestions. I'd also like to thank the artist Escrainus for doing a cover piece for this fic.**

**I'm happy with anyone and everyone taking inspiration/ using bits from this Fic, as long as they give me credit near the start (in fact, I'd love it if someone wanted to turn this into a comic or something, if you do, just PM me).**

**Also, if anyone wants to make a comment/ review about me re-doing this Fic but adding humans in, would you kindly stick your head up a pig instead.**

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**Recommendations:**

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I'd like to recommend some mature rated Fic's that I've read, which don't get the love and attention they deserve:

Fox point, by Maverikit (no smut (as of yet)). A unique post-zistopian Fic that is also a Sly Cooper crossover. This one made me laugh out so loud at one stage, that my parents asked if I was OK.

A Different Path, by Ulfserkr909. After (a lot of) smut, Nick and Judy are transported to a dystopian Zootopia, where things begin to go from bad to worse. Very gripping and emotional.

Zootopia: death becomes you, by DarkflameWolf: A very interesting Fic with a non-linear plot skipping between before, during, and after an apocalypse that hits the city. Mainly graphic mature, but there is some Lewdness a fair way in.

Savage, by Havochound: When a young lion cub is beaten, cuffed, muzzled, and embarrassed with the words "savage" spray painted on him, Nick and Judy are on the case to find the sick freak who did this. However, things get more complicated when similar attacks continue to happen on predators and suspects to various Pro-Prey groups. Including one lead by a Zebra that made Nick's life a living hell.

Whistleblowers, by FangyCanine.

Wilde times of the tame collar: A youtube video by WillFanofMany attempting to recreate the original plot, just like I have. I have a lot of respect and criticism for it, which I'll detail much later on.

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Some T rated Fics that also need more attention are:

\- Zootopia: the growler incident and Zootopia: force of nature by Arrowsight.

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**Authors notes collection:**

**The following authors notes will hopefully explain to you the reasoning I used when making this Fic. I'll be going through each chapter, one after the other. The reason I'm doing these authors notes is three-fold:**

**One, I think some of you would enjoy seeing the logic I used when trying to piece together the original plot, particularly when newer bits of info came out that proved me wrong.**

**Two, it gives me a chance to take those bits of info and formulate a new and improved original plot overview and share it with you.**

**Three… takes a bit longer to explain. A while ago I found, by pure chance, a bit of art inspired by my very first fan-fic. Looking at it made me remember those 20,000 words which I typed out almost non-stop over a couple of days about 6 months ago… Looking back at that Fic, the only thing that's more cringe worthy than the writing style and general plot is just how great/ epic and awesome I really thought it was/ was going to be. I have thought about rewriting it, but I've decided against it for three reasons:**

**1\. Re-writing it may make the prose readable, but it still doesn't fix the fact that many bits are shamelessly (although I at least admitted this at the start) taken straight from 'Zistopia'. Nor does it change the fact that my main writing strategy involved fitting in as many 'sad Nick backstories turned up to 11' as I possibly could, with no attention as to how they would work with the greater plot, bar building sympathy. (For comparison, in this Fic, Nick's backstory: builds sympathy, explains some of his behaviour, gives him a chance at closure, makes his arrest even more impactful and fills in a plot hole (why doesn't he just run?))**

**2\. I have better things to do with my time, such as IRL work and eventually my 4th** **Fic.**

**3\. I think it's a good idea to keep something like that up so that other aspiring writers can see that they can improve. That was the first piece of fictional work I'd written in at least 5-6 years. I rushed through writing it and, apart from a proof read, didn't re-read it (I now re-read at least 3 times, editing each time, before sending it off to my proof reader). I thought it was brilliant at the time, but having worked hard on improving my style, I can see that it is, in all reality, quite sh*t. Even more worrying is the fact that my current Fic could have been done to a similar standard, had I not had an epiphany during the writing of my 2nd** **Fic (realising that a major arc, involving a character being put on trial, should really be more than 1 chapter long. After working on it, I extended it to four).**

**So, where am I getting to with this? If you're a new writer, keep on looking back on your older work after a few weeks (or more) have passed. Keep on looking at it with a critical eye, comparing it to other fics you know and enjoy. At times, experiment (due to Fallen, by Jacoto, I plan to write much of my next fic in a first person format, while also experimenting with a diary format.) Keep on practicing, keep on writing, and you will improve. Even when I was writing this fic, my standard has gone up. Before I sign this all off as complete, I rewrote a good chunk of the beginning, with chapters 1,10 and 11 gaining a much better flow, and with new bits added to chapters 2,3,22 and several others. All in all, I added about 10,000 words (or 6%) to the Fic.**

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**Chapter 1:**

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The song I chose for chapter one is 'shine on you crazy diamond' by pink Floyd. I wanted lyrics that talked about youth in a positive light, and these ones harked back to when Nick was bubbly and optimistic.

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A big issue for when I was conceiving this Fic was how to open it. It wasn't so much that there wasn't any evidence, there was. It just so happened that there were two alternative openings (with a third coming up later on, I'll get to that when the time is right), both of which could be seen as scripts on laptops during the imagining Zootopia documentary. Both described the train trip through the city and showed mammals living the high-life. One, however, cut away to Nick leading Finnick and Clawhauser back to work at a Bugburga factory (cutting off just after the Woodwacker remark) while the other involved Nick instructing Clawhauser on a con.

This still left the space open for an opening scene, and I decided that something like the current opening (fear, treachery, bloodlust) would be appropriate. Of course, we already have that with the everybody's naked scene (which, in imagining zootopia, seems to be the beginning and cuts strait to the train scene).

Now, the train scene itself is perfect for right at the beginning. It's such a visual wonder and it gives a perfect introduction to the city, hyping it all up. I had young Nick sticking his head out as that was shown in imagining zootopia too, and as we'll be hopping into the past several times during this fic (multiple times during this particular day), it gives an anchor to go back to. All throughout this, I'd imagine that the collars would be completely hidden. None in sight. This allows the city to be built up and up, before the massive record scratch when they're revealed.

Hiding Nick's collar during this (and making sure it didn't go off), would be a bit awkward so, on my rewrite, I slotted in Nick getting his collar on the trip. I talk about John Wilde's reaction a few times, so I thought that I could add it in here for all to see (and it would be fairly easy to hide his collar with camera work). It adds a good bit of mystery to the whole thing, which will be revealed later and make the whole thing far more poignant.

We have the run through the city, with Nick's narration mirroring that from the script. We then get the first record scratch and the bug-burga factory. I chose this opening as Rich and Byron stated that they showed off Bug burgers early on. We see the three doing their work, and also get a look at Nick's boss for the first time. Here that script cuts out, so I decided to make him the ultimate bad boss. Rude, overbearing, always looking for a slip-up to pounce on. He likes to pick on Nick, who uses his wits to deflect off the insults.

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Leaving the factory (collars still hidden), we can go back to the museum visit. Quickly tying it into the larger plot and giving the collars the introduction they deserve. In my view, it makes little to no sense to not introduce the collars with this scene. Any other way and they just leave the audience confused, before getting the introduction later. The museum scene we know cuts off just after the 'all mammals can be together' bit, so what came next was up to me. I decided to have Nick questioning the unfairness, having picked up that something was wrong when his dad cried. The response back isn't spiteful, but it shows the attitude of the majority of prey mammals. They're completely clueless about what it's like, and are almost in denial about what they're doing. I also dropped the 'super naughty' line, which I'll use a lot in this fic.

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We then get adult Nick revealing his collar, and an example of how it fails at making prey mammals feel safe around him/ how much prejudice Nick has to face. I also had the introduction of savagery here, seeing as this is a key plot-point. Having a newspaper also allows a soft introduction to Judy, the mayor, and her assistant. I had Nick move to outside the station as, if you look carefully at its concept art, you can see a tiny Nick sitting on the ground with white sheets around him. This looked like a Jerk attack, so I put one in. Giving them an intro and showing the collar in action.

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**Chapter 2:**

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The song I chose for this chapter is 'Everybody knows' by Leonard Cohen. It's possibly the least optimistic song ever written (everybody knows the war is over, everybody knows the good guys lost…) and these lyrics just highlight how bad a deal the Preds get and how it isn't going to change. It captures the Nick's view of the world perfectly.

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We see a very small clip of Nick eating a burger with his friends in one of the documentaries, talking about how the prey run everything. I built this up into this scene, allowing us to get an intro into Honey.

Now most Fic's (my first including) essentially write her as a character whose only personality traits is the sheep conspiracy and is Nick's friend (tough Lesbian Honey in 'Under an Iron Fist' by cuttooth is the only exception I can think to this, and probably my favourite Honey interpretation by another author.) Before you say anything, Zistopia (by nicolaswilde) has a version with a deep and moving backstory but her present self still has no big interesting personality features other than the sheep conspiracy (although her fondness for Nick is slightly different). Fallen (by Jacoto) also has a Honey who has a major role, but this one is still defined largely by her conspiracy theorist mentality and not much else (although she comes across more as a tough scrapper who cares quite deeply for Nick).

I didn't want my Fic to present Honey (or any of the secondary characters) as bland one notes. I wanted them to have either a deep personality, some kind of arc or both. Looking at Honey objectively, the way she's (admittedly head-cannoned) always going on about sheep is somewhat similar to how someone on the autistic spectrum might become obsessed with/ only feel comfortable talking about a certain topic. I decided that this was an interesting take on her character and decided to run with it.

What she's got is probably slightly different to autism but similar, in that she has many of the mannerisms and issues (I myself have very mild aspergers, and I based some of her mannerisms (such as perennial fidgeting with stuff) off of my own) but unlike the stereotypical autist (aka. Sheldon Cooper) is also very emotional and excitable/ extroverted when in her close group of friends (although she's likely very quiet around strangers, and only has this small group of very close friends). She can be very emotional and can have sharp mood swings/ freakouts (something I used to have), but quickly cools off and forgives. Tragically, she somewhat believes the whole 'it only hurts if you're super naughty' line and has trouble rationalising why she'd be punished if she didn't do something wrong. This, combined with her emotional instability, means that even a little shock can get her very worked up.

Another Fic, called ring around the collar (M rated for lewdness), has a background character who had a similar plight (although it only barely touched/ explore it). It didn't inspire my Honey version, seeing as I only just remembered it when writing this authors note up.

Anyway, I used this scene to introduce her and show how the group dynamic works. In my view, these are Nick's childhood friends and they're all very, very close to each other (they comfort each other, they have pet names for each other, they're like siblings). I don't like other Fics that just mention them, give them two or three lines each and then ignore them, having Nick go off galivanting with Judy. I want them to play an important part throughout the Fic, and not to side-line them.

We also get the first mention of Kozlov, which I added in during my re-write as he needed some buildup before the bank pitch scene.

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I had this cut-away scene to show another important dynamic, that between the Swinton and Woolly. I want the reader to get what makes Swinton tick, to understand that she is an expert at playing the game of polls, and that she's very apathetic about Preds; relegating them to the eternal 'loosers' of her policies, not because she despises them, but because there will always be losers to policy changes and to keep herself popular she needs to be consistent as to who those losers are.

We also get Woolly. I decided to base his character entirely off of one from an obscure children's show I used to have tapes from (Corporal Fugg, from the English dub of 'Insektors' (coincidentally, it was the world's first computer generated tv series)). That means he gets the same large-ham welsh accent*, the same speech form and the same signs that he's, for all intents and purposes, a Welsh moron (A tawp secret mission? Can I tell my mam?). Of course, there is more to his personality than that (his alter ego-lupus savage, was semi-based off another character from the same show.)

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Cutting back to the café, we get the words copied from the small scene. I thought that placing it here would be perfect for a bit of humour.

We then get introduced to Fox away, the sheep conspiracy, Clawhausers love of gazelle, and the toot-toot suit (also, a hint that Nick is good with clothes (coming from a family of tailors)). We then end with an offscreen buzzing for humour.

*Another character who's dialogue I base around his/her voice is Honey. Ever since I read Zistopia, I've head cannoned that Honey has a 'sassy black lady' voice and accent. It's just what I imagine it as and, in my mind, it allows here to be very expressive and to telegraph to the audience just how much energy she's got in her. A lot of her dialogue is tailored to fit in with this voice in mind. Now, you could point out that she'd speak with the voice of Dr Madge from the final film. However, in my view, these are completely different characters in different situations and it just wouldn't work/ fit.

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**Chapter 3:**

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The lyrics for this chapter come from 'Mr Rock and roll' by Amy Mcdonald. They're used very ironically here, making fun of Judy and her hero complex.

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The first part of this chapter is there to give a reason for Finnick's seemingly unnecessary undergarment choice. It also lays the foundations for Finnick's betting habit (which I'll use to stuff him into even more funny costumes as time goes on) and the fact that Maned Wolves look like giant foxes (leading into a joke right near the end of this Fic). Originally, I wrote this as strait exposition but on my re-write I turned it into dialogue. It flows better that way, would be the only way to give said exposition in an actual film and helps build up the two vulpines working relationship in the eyes of the viewer.

On my re-write, I also raised the issue of scruff-carrying here rather than later. I initially came up with it in chapter 14 as a one off way to completely humiliate Nick to the bone but, as I wrote on, it become its own thing in this fic. Being featured several times, I decided to raise the fact that it was such a taboo issue right near the start (and this was the perfect opportunity). In the re-write I also made a mention of Finnick's dad and the Fox's multiple languages (used for a joke much later on). Fennec Foxes live across the Sahara, and I have this head cannon that Finnick's family have a lot of traditions, beliefs and languages similar to that of the Berber people of the Atlas Mountains (fan art has him as an Arab warrior, so it's quite similar). I liked the idea that Finnick's dad was a very devout believer and traditionalist, but at the same time a cool dude who was OK with his son not giving a crap about that stuff. In any case, Foxes need all the help they can get in this world, so I'd assume Finnick would be taught his people's tongue (Berber), his religion's language (Arabic) and the common language of that region (French (seriously, this immediately makes his music choice make perfect sense)).

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This next bit is, essentially, the same scene from the final film. We know that there was a jumbopop hustle in the original plot, and what better place to introduce Judy? I wanted to show just how offensive and hypocritical she was in this scene, and how Nick had a perfect right to be offended.

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Finally, we have Finnick's meltdown. Again, once past the bit we know about I used this time to build up the relationship between the characters and their personalities (dropping hints once more about Nick's past).

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**Chapter 4:**

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Do you know how hard it is to get songs about getting injured? Fortunately, you can always count on a half-mad drunken Irishman to come up with something. ' _If I should fall from grace with god,_ ' by the Pogues.

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We have heard that Nick and Clawhauser worked at Chez-E-Cheese in little Rodentia. Now, this creates a bit of a contradiction seeing as we also have Nick doing the Jumbo-pop and working at Bug-burga. The most likely case it that Nick worked at either Chez-E-Cheese or Bug-burga in the old versions (5 were made) but never at both at the same time (I've also seen concept art of Honey in a burger flipper uniform, so maybe she worked there in the draft (contrasting to how Nick and the boys used to work in the factory)). Anyway, I inserted this in here to fit in Chez-E-Cheese. We also get to see the Mayors policy at work and see why you can't just tamper with your collar and destroy it.

Going into Little Rodentia, we see how larger mammals interact within it (essentially having to follow road laws as if they were cars (which I thought was a funny solution, as well as explaining why Nick got a traffic violation)). We also get to see bits and pieces of the district that will come into use later.

After a shift (in which we get to show off the two mammal's retractable claws, vital for Nick's escape later) we have them go out. We then have Nick's traffic accident (which can briefly be glimpsed on imagining Zootopia) and getting a ticket, by none other than Judy Hopps. We have the old goat, an argument that builds up the start of their relationship and personalities some more, while we have the first concrete sign of how Nick is attached to his tie (the directors stated that in the old version, he wore it because it was his fathers).

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**Chapter 5:**

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The song for this chapter is, once again, 'Mr Rock and Roll'.

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This is the checkup scene, pretty much word for word. Interestingly enough, even after I first saw this and the pitch scene, I still thought that the movie would start on the Wild times opening night (with them being brought up in flashbacks). It was just how every other fan-fic had done it. The  _kerching_  at the end, however, made me realise that the film started before the idea and then showed it being built. In an instant, it all made sense and that's the way I did it.

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**Chapter 6:**

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The lyrics here are from 'Do you here the people sing?', from the Les-Mis soundtrack. The song itself is a powerful rallying cry for the oppressed, calling on them to join the cause and fight for their freedom, taking their destiny into their own hands. While I like Zoodystopian fics, I can find some too heavy. This almost always happens when the character has no agency, no way out, no power. One Fic, called three months a Fox (which isn't dystopian), I find relatively hard to read seeing as (even though I know it has a happy ending) Nick in it has effectively no control, no power, no ability to get even the smallest victory*. Now, if you want him to fall down and down that's fine. But at least give him some victories, even if their torn away just as he begins to savour them (look at Basil Fawlty in fawlty towers to get a sense of just how this is done well). Yes, it seems almost worse in a way, but at the very least it adds some tragic humour to keep things going.

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When I realised that the movie would show the creation of Wild times, one thing I began imagining were the scenes where Nick goes around and gets inspiration. So I had him go to the library to check the law on the subject, checks old arcades and the back of amusement parks, find the site and see our poor wolf friend. That one was one I came up with which I think is both very funny (like the howl scene in the final film) but also tragic, showing how he can't express himself or his heritage due to the collars (adding, in a subtle way, to how oppressive they are).

It turns out I was right (it feels epic when that happens), seeing as some concept art was released later on which showed Preds 'enjoying' ultra tame rides that had been made for them. On my re-write I added those in.

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The short scene with Judy shows several things. There is a short clip of her getting roared at, and holding up a collar remote. Now, if these were ultra common then Nick would have a brutal time escaping from jail later on, so I wrote in a cop-out where she's got a fake one for intimidation. Turns out, however, she doesn't need one as she's quite capable of holding her own. This introduces both the remotes, and the fact that Judy is very skilled.

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Back at Honey's house, I have them enjoying a quite breakfast as friends as they usually do (again, showing their familiarity with each other). As soon as I saw Nick's dream sequence from the medical scene, I caught on to Finnick's attire in it and had an errant thought about how pissed off he'd be if he knew. So I added it in there for laughs, because of course that would be the main thing our favourite Fennec would pick up from Nick's lifechanging experience.

We then get more discussions about the plan between the mammals, showing their different personalities (in particular, in this case, Honey and Finnick). In the re-write, I also want to show the moment that Finnick makes a bet which he'll REALLY regret making much later on. Turning what was a joke out of the blue into a huge brick joke.

We get more details of the plan, before the introduction to Honey's bunker. (We know from the cut characters bit that she introduces this to them, rather than them always knowing, and this moment makes perfect sense).

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*An example from 3 months a fox. In a recent chapter Nick was selling pawpsicles near a rally when about 8 sheep crowd around him. They try to sweet talk his way out of it, but they then call him a red pelt (equivalent to the N word for his species in that fic, due to the context of Fox's still being murdered for their fur millennia after the initial peace (something history just brushes over)) and overturn his ice box. At this point a ZPD officer (a predator) comes in to check on things, and the sheep come up with a simple excuse. While she seems to have the standard mistrust of Fox's, Nick could easily give his side of the story and get his own back at this stage (there would be plenty of witnesses to testify for him). Instead, he confirms the sheep gangs story that they were helping him and then moves on with his tail between his legs.

While he does get to make a joke about sheep being dumb followers (when he's trying to diffuse to situation), Nick at this point isn't just being denied catharsis by the world, he's turning it down. Compare this to the original film where he makes fun of Judy when she still buys his act (calling her non-patronising and getting her to say once more that she's paying when he likely has his wallet in his hand). After Judy finds out, he then lets her make a fool of herself (the permits) before deconstructing her entire character and leaving her standing in a pile of wet cement. He'd be actively seeking out some catharsis and, as a viewer, a fic like that just seems hollow if Nick doesn't get it. (Ones like fallen make up for this with tension, worldbuilding, and the fact that the world is so hostile that simply surviving is cathartic)

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**Chapter 7**

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The song here is 'Baba-O-Reilly' by the who. Great song, bit out of place but it was the most appropriate thing I could find for this chapter.

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We start off with a description of the bunker, and all of Honey's anti-sheep stuff (taken from concept art). From the short clip we got, we saw her yielding her big clippers and revving them, so I rolled that up with my character interpretation (she gets over excited, the others take it away before she can shock herself). The end result is the eternally comical spectacle of a very grumpy Honey badger.

We have the overview of the plot, before it all comes crashing down when Nick realises that he would have to apply for a loan. Considering what happened with his father, surely he'd be at least a bit apprehensive about pitching. In any case, we see evidence that something BAD happened to his family and more evidence that he's fond of his tie.

The scenes of the rainforest district are taken strait from various bits of concept art. Seeing this serene moment gives a bit of breathing space, allowing some contemplation. It also hints at the deep trauma Nick carries, and how it's bottled up inside of him by his collar.

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**Chapter 8:**

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Always look on the bright side of life… yeh, right….

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Nick has a bad day in this chapter. A really bad day. In order to get him into position for the next chapter (I'll explain why later), he needs to have a terrible time in this chapter. So I add in a catalogue of bad luck. We see how our fox lives (taken from concept art), meet his neighbour (again from concept art). We find he has no food for breakfast. He's humiliated via his collar in what should be a cathartic victory against a cockroach (a cockroach chase is supposed to happen, as shown in concept art). He kills the cockroach, gaining a win, only to have no time to savour his new snack as he realises the clocks have moved forwards. He gets on his bus, only for it to be held up (insert sloth joke here). He's clever enough to get evidence to defeat his boss, only for his boss to dock his wages out of spite. In the re-write I also added another mention of Kozlov, building him up.

Nick then gets a f**cking badass meal (no, seriously, I made this meal as awesome as it could be within the realm of cafeteria food (don't say you didn't salivate like one of Pavlov's dogs when reading the description!)), only to be denied it after paying thanks to a fire alarm. Finally, after a day without food, he finally gets another badass meal only for his collar to spite him.

(this up and down ride of wins/losses is sort of what I was talking about earlier.)

We can then see his horror at the damage to his tie, evidence once again of how much he loves it/ what it means. Finally, even his schadenfreude is gone as it's shown that Judy is living the dream, and turns up just to (inadvertantly) rub it in.

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**Chapter 9:**

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The very appropriate lyrics for this chapter are from 'Man too strong,' by Dire straits. If you listen to that song, however, you'll realise just how inappropriate that song is given its context.

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It's only a short glimpse, but we can see a story frame of Nick on a psychiatrist's bench. Nothing screams 'backstory goes here' more than that. I put this scene at this point because it doesn't make much sense before the checkup and there's no point right after (as he's got a purpose there, he knows he wants to make Wild times). For Mr 'Never let them see that they get to you' to go to therapy, he must be at rock bottom and in complete turmoil.

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So we have a Rorschach inkblot test joke, Nick spilling his heart out, the shrink picking up his love of his tie, and we go straight into the Suitopia pitch. We see the two meeting up, and see how much they love each other.

Getting on to the pitch itself, I never write it as if John just came there and said 'I want to open a suit shop'. There needs to be some evidence that he's good at it. That he knows his trade. Otherwise, the rejection would make sense. So, I have John already being a tailor with a shop, just in a dying part of town (we already have concept artwork of this). I make it clear that, based on phone conversations, the bank manager is happy to give him the loan. But then, when he finds out he's been talking to a Fox, he rejects him out of hand.

We then get the Rhino guard coming in and Nick getting his first shock (how else would it go down?) John, naturally, is horrified. But he gets shocked too, the first time Nick sees his father getting it.

Finally, to rub salt in the wound, Nick still has some of his optimism in him. Collars only hurt you if you're super naughty! Theirs's must be faulty! But then he gets it, and at the tender age of five realises just how the city sees him.

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We knew that John Wilde had a tragic backstory. But what would it be? The writers said that they made it darker and darker in attempt to make it work for Nick. That meant that whatever was taken from him, he eventually got back. This means his father was incarcerated in some form, only to be released at the end of the film. But it begs the question, why was he locked up? My original idea was that he couldn't cope with the hate and developed something like bipolar order. His mood swings, in a collar, could kill him so he had to be committed. However, listening to the commentary, I picked up the bit where the directors said 'viewers just wanted Nick to get out of the city.' It's a valid point? Why doesn't he, or any other preds, run?

So I decided to use John's fate to answer that in the most tragic fashion imaginable. He wanted to run, to escape. To flee Zootopia like the pilgrim fathers in the mayflower (or Nymeria and her 10,000 ships) and to settle somewhere new. Only it went horribly wrong. They were found out and paid the price. Nick, after receiving a few precious things to remember them by, saw his parents led out by collar/ dog handling poles by the police and never saw them again. This would be the same way Nick would be arrested later on, in a horrific repeat of history. Now what if that had succeeded? I'm planning my next Fic, 'Coming to reward them' around that very premise.

Interestingly enough, in the recent Q&A session, Rich and Byron spilt the beans of John's actual fate. He was arrested, for the crime of defending Nick during the Suitopia pitch (I assume that when Nicks collar went off, the Rhino planned to tranquilise him. Horrified, John bit the guard only for his collar to go off, making his jaws clamp shut. Having dropped Nick, various guards saw John and, without bothering to find the context decided he was too aggressive), and was 'carted off forever.' So, I was very close. The film version doesn't answer the run-away question, but it keeps the horrific irony of Nick's arrested AND would likely give him a terrible guilt complex for much of his life.

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Back to the present, I added a new layer to the inhumanity of the collars with Nick strongly implying that he was stopped from grieving due to it (although not without getting badly shocked before he learnt his lesson).

And then, when it seems that Nick might just be arriving at some peace, the Psychiatrists advice does a whole 180. It offends Nick. Offends him beyond compare, and hardens his resolve. He storms out vowing to fight, vowing to pursue his dream.

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**Chapter 10:**

Lyrics here are also from another Dire straits song, this time 'Industrial disease'.

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The first part is the bank pitch scene. Nothing much else to say.

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The next bit I imagined as a similar fast paced montage, showing the construction of Wild times over about 9 months. Highs and lows, all the various jobs, the birthdays of each group member (They're all in the same year at school. Finnick's birthday is around about November, Clawhauser's in January, Nick's in April and Honey's sometime in the summer). For me re-write, I added a lot more background context and worldbuilding to each scene.

I'll also point out the fact that having the roar-a-coaster go outside to splash into the sea (as shown in bits of art) defeats the entire purpose of a secret amusement park. Just putting it out there.

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**Chapter 11:**

Do you want to know why I started the lyric thing (along with following in the footsteps of nicolaswilde?) It was listening to this song. Seriously. With the possible exception of David Bowie's hero's (We can be us, just for one day); 'Come up and see me,' by Steve Hartley and Cockney rebel fits this scene, and the whole story, almost perfectly. I initially tried to pair each set of lyrics to a chapter, although sadly there's more story than song.

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Anyway, I started off with a small family coming in just to see if this was real (and I know that Fangmeyer is actually a Tigress. It leaves a whole bunch of Fic's, and one of Zootopia's writers, wrong… but I'll know for later). Anyway, they see it's true and then all hell breaks loose. Within seconds everything is in full swing, we have the opening night and all the rides (from both artwork and 'the wild times you never saw') going into full swing. It's all brilliant, Nick's a hero, clapped on by all those around. And then he goes into his office…

With what's happened with his family, I wanted to give him a big payoff at this stage. Finally, after years of bottling it up, Nick is finally able to grieve for his parents. His friends give him space and, after one night, our Fox has achieved closure.

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**Chapter 12:**

The song these lyrics are from is called 'the dark and rolling sea,' by Al Stewart. Boil it down, and it's all about pride before the fall. And this is Nick here. Confident, sure of himself, and going against the warnings (it also prepares the viewer for the next chapter in a way, he's prideful and cocky and suffers for it). As we all know, things will be going very bad in the next few chapters. As the thunder rails in the great mainsails, Nick's oarsmen won't be standing with knives in their hands and eyes filled with mutiny; but a certain bunny did warn him not to call her name when his ship went down.

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We start off with what is likely the joint best/worst musical pun in this entire fic, just putting that out there.

The first third of this chapter is showing how Nick is suddenly in control, far more confident in his life. He's celebrating being a predator, moving out of his old life and into the new. Wild times has been a rip-roaring success. As an act of good favour, he offers his landlord a Job at Wild times before going off in his shiny new sports car (which was released as merch).

The second third is (admittedly, very crudely,) fitting in a Jerk scene as well as introducing Kozlov in person for the first time (this scene came from a storyboard).

The final third is Judy investigating and discovering the times (bits of which have been seen as videos) before Nick warns her off in a mad max reference.

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**Chapter 13:**

Lyrics from 'Bad day' by REM. Reason for choice: I'll give you one guess.

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So, it's the fateful night. I started it off as if nothing was going wrong. Just another day at the times, a few backlogs to clear and soon everything back to full form. We also meet Woolly in disguise, and the first hint that he's not as seems.

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As some of you may know, a flipboard scene was released by artist Toby Shelton which revealed that Nick was the one darted. Long before that, when I was writing this scene, the video evidence for how it played out was as follows:

We see Nick seeing the Wolf walk out of the office through blurry eyes that he's trying to rub clear.

Nick's arrest (with a concerned Tiger family looking on)

Nick in a cell between a female Rhino and a Bear

Nick in what looks like a prison suit looking at a Bear through a heavy metal door which have 'Savage Predator' stencilled onto it.

As there seemed to be a separate housing system for normal mammals and savages, I had ruled out the possibility of Nick going savage.

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Logically, I assumed that a bear had gone savage. Nick had been fox-away'd, the tiger family were witnesses and, later on, Nick saw his victim. The most logical ursine victim was, of course, the one we knew by name. Mr Jorge. So, I made a point of getting him into the sight. As for the tiger family, one image I remember involved showing how Prey saw Preds (violent savages) and how preds saw prey (trampling over Preds). I wanted to show that, at this stage, Nick wasn't a perfect character. He, quite naturally, resented prey mammals and was quite harsh when he heard that this kid was friends with a Hippo. He tells him, quite aggressively, that she's not his friend and never will be. Of course, some part of him tells him that he's wrong and he feels some guilt (admittedly, more for hurting the kids feelings/ scaring him, than anything else).

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But then our wolf friend reappears. As Nick's framing wasn't release when I wrote this, I didn't know how the wolf acted. So I made him very much the alter ego of his true identity. Aloof, proud, taunting. He's still a bit nervous being around so many uncollared preds, but he causes chaos and leaves Nick in to take the fall, rubbing it in at every opportunity.

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Finally, Nick wakes up disoriented and realises far too later that the police are here to take him away. In a horrific repeat of his parents arrest, he's dragged to a waiting van and taken away.

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**Chapter 14:**

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Lyrics from 'streets of sorrow/ the Birmingham six,' by the Pogues. Once more showing how the Irish can sing about terrible things that no other artist would be brave/drunk enough to touch.

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A simple rule with children's films is that, if a good character gets arrested, his stay in prison is hell. Pure and simple, a regular stay in jail just won't do. It makes Nick's incentive to escape even more acute, while building sympathy for him with the audience.

At first he's still confused, getting his mug shot taken and a prison number (taking away his name) before getting marched along. Next he gets his clothing, a key part of his identity, not only taken away but treated in a way that horrifies him. He also sees his tie, the most precious thing in his world and the link back to his father, taken away from him and treated as if it were a rag.

He then gets picked up by his scruff, naked and in full view of a grown (and quite seductive) mammal. This strips away all his remaining dignity and then some.

He then gets power showered, a flea treatment (my nod to the Shawshank redemption) and his prison jumpsuit. He becomes part of the system. His claws are then clipped, to remove his identity as a predator. Thankfully, he's able to outsmart his captors and pick up one, crucial victory.

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Out of processing, he spots Judy and true to her word she gives him the cold shoulder. Thankfully, Nick is able to at least plant the seeds of doubt in her mind which will come into play later.

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We then get his cellmates. From a snapshop shown before, we saw Nick in a cell with what looked like a female rhino and a very depressed Bear. I chose to make her a female version of Lenny Small (from of mice and men), who's there to make Nick's humiliation complete. With her around, he's not even a prisoner. He's not even a mammal. He's a pet, an insect, a nothing. Of course, building her up as a doting pet owner (acting similar to how many human pet owners act) adds an element of dark comedy to the whole affair.

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**Chapter 15:**

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A bit more of 'come up and see me.'

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We continue on from last night, showing what Nick's future life might be like. Of course, this all takes a backburner when we switch to the news report with Swinton. From her, Nick learns that he has no chance with the regular courts and must take the matter into his own hands. The audience also learns that there are A: some prey who are anti-collar and B: Finnick, Honey and Clawhauser are still at large. We also get some foreshadowing about Woolly's censorship (which was somewhat confirmed by Rich and Byron).

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Back to the jail and we check up on Jorge. We learn that he's OK, but in just as bad a place as Nick is. This is important as it shows the audience how the savage serum works. Nick's then led out, past more evidence of why he needs to get out (in the form of an Idiocracy reference and a neutering joke).

Looking back at the scene with Nick looking in at a bear through a thick door again, his shirt might not be a prison shirt, so it offers different explanations for this scene.

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Finally, we get to an interview with Judy. This is the first time that these two characters can really get together and grind their gears. It also gives Nick hope, knowing that his friends are still out there (and he knows where they're hiding). And so, as Judy gets distracted, Nick makes a break for it.

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**Chapter 16:**

The lyrics, 'keep on running, keep on running,' from the song 'keep on running' by… whichever band did that song.

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From the plan of the ZPD, we know that Nick emerged from a manhole cover that was outside the building. When I wrote this, I couldn't square how Nick's path would take him through the offices some art shows him in, so I wrote that concept art out. Concept art released later, however, shows him leaping down the atrium and turning towards a river exit (built for Hippo's). This also means that Nick escaping via a drain is unlikely, but what I wrote I wrote (it seemed accurate at the time, and worked).

Bursting out into the open, we move along to the little-rodentia chase. Now, much of this is copied from the weaselton chase. This is because we don't know how much of the current film was recycled, so I rolled with it. When I did this, we had a little snippet of said chase (the cars and the donut) which I put in. We then devolved to a cat and mouse game between the two in the mini city (complete with a pacific rim tribute) which ends up in a hand to hand brawl.

When the larger sequence was released, it turned out that the brawl stage was before the donut, and after hitting it Nick slid along the road for a bit (something I did add in on the rewrite). We also see him escaping the district by hopping the fence.

I put in the train escape as, from my perspective, Nick needed to get away in a way that would stop Judy following him AND hide him from view until he got to a place where he could change out of his prison suit. Looking at the newly release reels, however, shows that Nick wasn't in a jail suit in any of them. This, I assume, means that he was never given one to begin with (which admittedly simplifies things) or he got his clothes back at the ZPD during his escape. This simplifies things considerably in the original plot, seeing as he doesn't have to work nearly as hard to escape view or find a place to change.

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**Chapter 17:**

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Lyrics from 'my wife,' by the who.

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This entire chapter existed to bridge the gap between Nick escaping little rodential and going to Kozlov, while explaining why he didn't go to his friends and how he changed out of his jumpsuit.

I mainly used it to give Nick some time to reflect on Wild times, give Mr Fangmeyer another cameo (and a bit of back and forth banter), before returning to Nick's childhood house for a poignant look at just what he lost. We then have Judy handcuffing Nick (my interpretation of a piece of art where he's fitted with this big bracelet thing by Judy, while a looming bear-like silhouette looks on). Admittedly, this whole set up leaves no place for the chain cutting machine from the art, I just wasn't able to fit it in in this interpretation.

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**Chapter 18:**

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Lyrics from 'Hotel California', by the eagles.

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I started off by trying to build up sympathy for Judy. It's very hard to do so at this stage, so I wanted to make it clear that she's doing all this because it's her duty. She has a soft side, but she swore a vow and is willing to go out kicking and screaming to uphold it. A lot of commentators noted they weren't brought over to her and, in a lot of ways, I can see why. The filmmakers themselves stated that they had trouble building up sympathy for her.

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The rest of this scene is building up Kozlov as a character. All we've heard about him so far is bad, so I used this stage to really explore deep into what makes him tick. He is a family man, and he's hours away from fitting a shock collar to his own son. Deep down, he wants Nick on his side. He wants him because he knows that Nick can make his son happy. At the same stage, however, he's in turmoil about what he has to do to his own kin. For all of the Kozlov chapters, I decided to have him go through the five stages of grief (Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.) He starts off this chapter in denial about how Wild times could be caught out, which manifests into anger when Nick bargains for Judy's life. This all seems odd at first to the viewer, but hopefully it becomes clearer at the taming party scene.

I also had him reveal his knowledge about the wolf, showing that there is a greater conspiracy at play. However, Kozlov is quite world wearing and pessimistic. I think the quote, 'We live as rotten apples, yes… But who cares when we live in compost heap' sums him up quite nicely.

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**Chapter 19:**

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Heroes, by David Bowie.

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Nick goes and rescues Judy, hoping to smuggle her out. At the same time, she's surprisingly ungrateful (for reasons that will soon become clear). Their escape is blocked by Kozlov, who has moved onto the bargaining stage of grief, willing to even let Hopps go if Nick will work for him. We also see evidence that he recently got angry, very angry. We also add in some world building (and the insertion of one of my family's in-jokes) before Judy is discovered. Kozlov sends Judy back to the freezer to die, with Nick in tow so that he can see the polar bears wrath first hand. Finally, we see why our bunny was so confident beforehand. She know the razorbacks will be coming after her, although a sudden cold blast makes her realize that they might take a bit too long.

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As part of Swinton's development, I wanted to show that, while a very well presented mammal in normal times, she quickly falls apart when things begin to go wrong. Thankfully, she has the razorbacks to help her. Instead of them just being featureless goons, I decided to give them a basic team dynamic (plus silly pork related names). We have the grizzled veteran/ squad leader; the quiet one who's in charge of the various technical skills (driving, sniffing etc.) and finally the young hot shot. I also started a running joke/ character arc where this one flirted with the mayor, because why the hell not.

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**Chapter 20:**

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Some more Steve Hartley and cockney rebel for the taming party scene. There's really not much to add here so I'll carry on.

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**Chapter 21:**

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The song here is 'take a chance,' by ABBA. STOP SNICKERING AT THE BACK!

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This scene is important, as it needs to catalyse what Judy's just seen. She needs to come out of it knowing that Nick was right, and he needs to come out of it knowing that he can trust Judy. We also know that Judy gets tranquilised, which can either by from the mobsters or the Wolf. Seeing as Judy didn't overhear the talk about Lupus, I decided that it would be him who tried to dart the pair so that Judy is brought over to Nick's side. In the original film, I'm leaning more to the opinion that Judy overheard the talk and got darted by one of Kozlov's guys on the way out (although, she would still need to do something to show Nick that she could be trusted).

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In any case, Judy learns the full truth about the collars here and her beliefs begin to fall apart (although it takes Lupus arriving to solidify the change). This scene gives the two a lot of back and forth time. I'd also like to point out that the 'brainwashing' paragraph was done by my proof reader, The Ultimateblack. He was concerned that Nick was coming across as too needy/weak through all of this, and suggested it as a way of giving him some more agency (which, I'm glad to say, worked very well).

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Escaping from the wolf, we see the razorbacks in action for the first time. I wanted to present them as a highly professional group, who don't take adverse risks. They do everything by the book, but don't count on the fact that Nick has a plan.

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**Chapter 22:**

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Lyrics here are from the song, 'Little people,' from the Le-mis soundtrack.

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This chapter was mainly there to give Judy a chance to meet the rest of Nick's gang, and to show what they've been up to in the time since Nick's arrest. We mainly see Judy and Finnick bonding and then arguing (with more animal-band-name puns), as well as some back and forth banter. Clawhauser's personality is already fleshed out thanks to the final film, and I'd assume it was the same in the original plot. Thus, I chose to develop him by giving him a character arc. He starts off like the others, critical of Honey's sheep obsession, but as time goes by he gets converted. He was also very close to her at the start, but gets even more so as time goes on (I ship them. They're adorable together. Let it be known that this Fic will be the start of the glorious Honeyhauser ship!).

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We end up with a simple reason for Nick and Judy having to leave, while giving them a plan to follow.

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**Chapter 23:**

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Lyrics from 'Mr Rock and Roll,' by Amy Macdonald.

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The gondola ride in the final film was a brilliant peaceful moment in which to catch your breath and to learn the backstory of one of your characters. I chose to do something similar as we moved to our next destination, albeit giving Honey's backstory (further bringing Judy onto the right side) and Judy's.

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As I said before, I had no idea how much of the final story was copied from the original plot so, where possible, I borrowed it. By using Gideon, I wanted to show that Judy had a reason to be scared of Foxes, but at the same time was driven to the police by an urge to help mammals, rather than control preds (although it does give an example of how mammals could think the collars are a good thing).

From the directors Q&A session, it turns out that Gideon was made just for the final film (they came up with him over one weekend to make Judy's reaction at the press conference make sense). It also seems, from various sources, that Judy's parents in the first draft didn't even recognise her/ know her name (meaning that recognition was a motivating factor for her career choice).

I also used this chapter to give some nice descriptions of the rainforest district, as well as a moment when the two realise that they are kindred spirits of sorts.

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**Chapter 24:**

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Lyrics here from 'Private investigation,' by Dire straits.

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The environment they are in during this chapter (called the meadowlands by the directors, but I call it the cloud forest district) had a fair few bits of art done of it. This included Wolly's apartment, which is their destination for this scene. Once there, they discover his own personal Honey board (thanks to Nicolaswilde, that's their official name now), evidence of the conspiracy and signs that he's not who he seems (grass in the fridge, changeable accents, no sense of smell). After picking up some files, and a very important fake collar, Nick and Judy attempt to leave only to be spotted.

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**Chapter 25:**

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The song here is 'Gold dust Woman,' by Fleetwood mac. It references the end, when are two heroes are beaten up and weakened, wondering if it is finally over.

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This chapter involves the two running, falling down a waterfall, and Nick getting injured. It turns out that chase scenes like these are fairly hard to write. We also see that building of trust between the two, in particular with Judy being willing to help Nick deal with his shocks.

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**Chapter 26:**

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I don't think I need to introduce this song.

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The cut off scene at the beginning is there to show that time has passed, and that Swinton's minions have failed at finding Nick. The stress is getting to her, and she's clutching at each and every straw she can reach. We also have Woolly becoming more confident, a foreshadow of his part in the plot. Finally we have a Bogo cameo and see Swinton and Wurst character development turning up a notch.

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We skip to the Hopps household, with Nick waking up and getting the tour around the place. A lot of this is just describing the various bits of artwork that have been done, as well as giving Nick some touching moments to show that he's just a big goofus at heart.

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Now, I love Zistopia and old grandpa Hopps is awesome. But the grandpa figure in a cut scene was just your stereotypical racist grandfather. Solution? Why not have Both! They can then have an old man argument for laughs. I also put in a reference to the very first plot in this sequence, with Basil Thumper (aka Jack Savage) having his opinions due to a very similar experience to Grandpa Hopps in Zistopia. However, the story of Savage and Skye in this one is sadder than the Zistopia one.

The D.O.E is a pun on the S.O.E, or the special operations executive. This was a british unit, very similar to the commando's, who undertook deep level espionage and assisted resistance groups. They had a variety of unique tactics and strategies while hiring from a huge cross section of the population (including 39 women, 13 of whom were killed). In my headcannon, Skye was hired by a progressive commander under the promise that her deeds would help prove Predators were good and free them from the collars. She laid down her life to let her squad escape, in her last moments believing that she'd freed her people.

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Finally, after a whistle-stop tour, we get back to Judy.

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**Chapter 27:**

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The song here is 'Valentina way', by Al Stewart*.

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I used the Matthias Lechtner's design for Judy's room, rather than the more recent design with the fox sparring dummy, because that one hadn't been released at the time of writing and the original one was awesome. I also use it to show off some of Judy's personality.

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We have some banter here and there, my solution to the question of 'why wouldn't Judy's family blab about Nick' and then Judy unlocking Nick's collar. I admit that I borrowed some dialogue from an old comic (whose name I can't remember). I also really built this out as this is a major, and I mean major scene. It signals the point when Judy is well and truly committed to the good guys side.

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We rush on with an overview of the plot so far (as well as speculative motives), a small reference to one of the greatest Zootopia fanfics out there and then Honey coming online for some comic relief. We then have our characters speculating and discussing their views, before outlining what they think the conspiracy is.

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I added in the fake collar, as it gives Nick a whole lot more freedom to do stuff without having to think about if he'd get shocked or not. The directors stated that Nick just felt like someone on the run in the second arc, so in this arc I give him this as a way of letting him reclaim power.

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Finally, we have the razorbacks turn up and Nick and Judy escape, but leave behind Nick's old collar by mistake.

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**Chapter 28:**

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The song was originally 'First we take Manhatten', by Leonard Cohen, but I changed it to 'Pigs' from Pink Floyd's 'Animals' album later on, as I though it fitted better.

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We know that something goes on at the palm hotel, and I assumed it would be a confrontation with the mayor. Now, some frames have come up recently which suggest a different set of events, but I'll talk about that when the time is right.

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We haven't visited Sahara square much, so we get a good look at it here. We have concept art of Nick and Judy spying on Gazelle in a garden, so I based this scene around it. Originally I had her composing Try everything, but remembering my gag with Kozlov, I altered it to have her making a new version instead. Her backup singer, Aleksis (named after Aleksis Kaidanovsky from pacific rim) is Russian because many other fics expand the tiger's backstories, giving them Indian names and Indian culture. I thought it would be fun to add in some Siberian tigers for contrast, to remind people that those are a thing. Also, if this ever gets dubbed they can reuse the voice actor for Kozlov. I literally think of everything.

I liked the idea of having them visit Wild times, and used this moment to build their (and Gaz's) characters up.

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We then get up to the top via a lift shaft (those frames I mentioned reveal that Nick actually disguised himself as a baggage porter). I let them look around a bit before Swinton, Brad and Woolly turned up. This gave more foreshadowing about the Wolf's true nature, while also revealing more about Swinton and Brad's characters (along with giving me the chance to bombard the reader with pig puns). Realising that they are discovered, Nick (and then Judy) confront Swinton and challenge her. In a subversion to most villains, she doesn't reveal her plans in a monologue and the dynamic duo are forced to flee when the other razorbacks appear (although not empty handed).

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**Chapter 29:**

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Lyrics were originally from 'bat out of hell' by meatloaf, as I didn't have any ideas at the time. I then had too. As Nick neither screamed, nor did everyone run, 'Fox on the run' by Sweet lost out to 'The Running Man' by Al Stewart.

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This is mainly Nick and Judy running from, and defeating, the Razorbacks. We then get them escaping by train (we had a little bit of footage showing this) before Mr Wolf appears to taunt them. I initially planned for them to decouple the train carriage and leave Lupus behind, but when looking up coupling systems realised that it would be impossible on a moving train. So I had them do it anyway, and fail at it, for some subversive humour. The Wolf spots them and they brawl. We have more evidence that Mr Savage isn't who he seems to be (not howling along, or getting hurt as his muzzle is punched in), but in the end he gets disarmed and our heroes escape.

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**Chapter 30:**

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Lyrics are from 'this time tomorrow,' by the Kinks.

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This chapter is mainly a breather chapter. It gives some time for character interaction, planning, jokes and the set-up for the next chapter. It's filler essentially.

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**Chapter 31:**

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The song used for this chapter is 'Behind blue eyes,' by the Who. Along with Heroes and Come up and see me, this could be a brilliant theme song for Nick.

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We don't know much about the Cloven Hoof. It's a sheep bar, Nick and Judy are seen in artwork sneaking nearby it. An inside view shows a cut out of Nick inside, although you can't tell if it's for scale or a plot point. The only description of it given is that it's a seedy 'Biker bar'.

Not knowing anything about it, I used my artistic license to full effect. We haven't seen Finnick be bad-ass, so let's give the fans some fan-service. The Gerbil Jerks were bound to get punished at one stage, so why not now? Finnick in a lamb costume = funny.

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As for the pitched off-screen battle. Seeing as the final film had a breaking bad reference, why not put in a kill bill one?

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Back at the bunker, time moves on until they get the clinching evidence. The entire conspiracy seems to be laid open, but the characters realise that things are going to get very bad very fast. It's time to act. It's time to save the world.

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**.**

**Chapter 32:**

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Some fitting lyrics from First we take Manhatten, by Leonard Cohen.

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A lot of this is build-up and description of the Animalia concert from concept art. The 'it's only fake' thoughts, were suggested by my proof reader. They make a nice touch. We see that security is tight, but Nick and Judy slip in and get everything ready to save the day. I based the opening musical cue on the start of 'Telegraph Road' by dire straits. It's my favourite song, and I advise all readers to spend 14 minutes (no, seriously) to listen to it.

We finally reach the mayor, and then follow Woolly to get the full Sheep in Wolf's clothing reveal. Meanwhile, Honey (insert newly invented verb here)'s while an old bet of Finnick's comes back to bite him in the arse. Originally, I came up with this humiliation by itself. I then realised that I could have him 'not loose' the original bet, only for a new bet signed on screen to come back and haunt him.

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**Chapter 33:**

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Lyrics by REM, from 'Orange crush.'

This is mainly a fight scene, between Judy and Woolly and between Nick and the razorbacks. We see Nick captured and re-collared, only to escape and meet up with Judy on Gazelles stage. Woolly, and his conspiracy, gets revealed while Nick saves Judy. They're heroes, and all is good now. Isn't it?

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**Chapter 34:**

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Lyrics from the song 'The way it always starts' by Mark Knopfler and Gerry Rafferty (from the soundtrack to 'Local Hero').

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Swinton wasn't the mastermind, but still got her comeuppance. I know it's a contrast to other Fic's, but when she was described as intelligent, I thought 'why would someone so intelligent run a super risky conspiracy?' Think about it? To quote Penn Gillette, 'remember how tiny Watergate was? And how much they messed that up?' For someone intelligent like Swinton to be involved, she would need a stonking great big reward (most Fics just have her as a shallow, irrational, pred hating bogeyman (with maybe a thirst for power thrown in for good measure), and avoiding shallow/ 2D characters was a key goal of mine when I started writing this Fic). Bellweather did it for power after suffering what she perceived as years of abuse, bullying and ingratitude. Woolly did it for hate and financial gain, using a disguise and alter ego so completely different from his public image that no sane person could make the link. What could Swinton get out of this conspiracy? She was already in charge!

So instead, I decided that she would primarily be a big red herring. A decent-ish mayor (and intelligent political operator) suddenly out of her depth and struggling to cope. As for her fate? She's the perfect ruler for when things are all good, she keeps the status quo secure and everything ticking over nicely, while not trying to change things a great deal in the name of legacy. But the world of Zootopia isn't all good. There was a great injustice going on, and she had the choice to take a leap and end it, or to stay in her comfort zone. She chose the latter, She chose wrong and she pays the price.

The Razorbacks and Bogo were good people operating in a bad system. Woolly was willing to make millions suffer in order to reap vast financial rewards, with any guilt removed due to his hatred. Swinton's crime was inaction.

Now, in the Q&A session, Swinton was revealed to the big bad boss (they describe how it was the mayor who was responsible for all the badness). What her motivations were, I don't know?

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I'd also like to thank my proof reader for coming up with the 27-years speech, and the abominations line.

Nick smashing his collar comes from a bit in the imagining Zootopia doc, where in an experiment certain students had to wear bandanna's. When allowed to take them off, one student tore his apart.

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**Chapter 35:**

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Lyrics for this chapter (placed at the back to avoid spoilers), were originally a modified variant of 'So long Marianne,' by Leonard Cohen. However, on thinking about it I decided that it was the wrong type of love for this scene. The love in that song was sexual, passionate, and complex. The kind of love in my scene is pure, maternal and innocent. Maybe I just felt uncomfortable on going straight from one of the greatest singers of the last 100 years to Shakira's fursona...

On a rewrite, I thus changed it to 'Let it be' by the Beatles, which I thought fit better.

Here's the thing Zootopia fans, if you'd have all chosen Francine (or Viviane or something) as Nick's mum's fanon name, then this wouldn't have fit and I'd have no reason to take away Nick's mum. TL,DR: it's your fault that Nick grew up without his mum as well as his dad.

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Now, I wanted to give Swinton a chance to redeem herself somewhat. Given time to think, she may have started the collar free period or might not have, but whatever the case she's started it now and people have realised that they weren't needed. I think that the mammals in this world, like humans, are capable of both great good and evil if given a chance. Realising that they were completely wrong, many of the prey mammals would want to do their part to right the wrong that they were guilty of supporting (yes, a lot will still be cruel or nasty. But a lot were also conditioned to do so by the power imbalance (look up the Stanford prison experiment)).

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Anyway, time has passed. Woolly is getting the Lenora treatment, Nick gets his clothes back and 'Wilder times' is getting ready to open, now for all mammals. And then, I add in the great big stonking reward that Nick has god damn earned throughout this entire film/ fic.

I came up with this scene near the start of this project, when trying to work out how Nick's backstory would play out. I knew that, seeing as it was put in to make the film work for Nick, it would set our Fox up for an absolutely massive reward at the end. I liked the idea of Nick and his father reuniting outside Wild-times, although at first it would have been the latter getting released from an asylum (I toyed with the idea of him developing bipolar from his harsh life, and his mood swings were too dangerous with a collar on, so he had to live in an asylum in order to have it off). I then got the idea of using John's fate to answer the 'why don't they just run/leave' plothole (the documentaries say that many viewers wanted Nick to just do that, so I thought that they'd show quite clearly that he can't.) Finally (or maybe not, I can't remember) I thought back to one of the best film endings of all time, the shawshank redemption. The protagonist has his wife cheat on him, gets locked up for life, is sexually assaulted, has a father figure commit suicide, has what is effectively an adopted son murdered (along with his chance at proving his innocence) and, even when he escapes, has lost two or so decades of his life. Yet, unanimously, its ending is beloved and paints the entire film as a great feel good watch. So, I aimed to channel a whole bunch of that into this ending.

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**Epilogue:**

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The main aim of the epilogue was to wrap up the various hanging plot threads, show that things are moving in a positive direction, and end the film on an uplifting note.

A lot of people are saying they want justice. They want the prey to pay. They want trials and for the prey to taste the collar. Realistically however, the prey are still the majority so this isn't going to happen (and trust me, I feel with you… having them wear it for a month or so would be so cathartic and helpful to the healing process).

This injustice has been going on for generations, so there isn't anyone to put on trial. Yes, it's not ideal, but do you want peace or a futile attempt at 'justice'. I think that these people are good, but have just been led astray and been in denial. Yes, many are jerks, but so can ordinary people. Look up the Stanford prison experiment. We may lord our morals over the zootopians, but if history is anything to go by humanity can be far worse as much as it can be far better.

So instead, I want to end by showing that the way forward is to be the change you want. Even if 'it isn't fair', you're not going to remove prejudice by conforming to it and validating it. You have to work hard to prove it wrong, to create trust where trust doesn't exist and, on occasions, turn the other cheek.

It doesn't mean admitting that it is all rosy cheeked hunky dory. It doesn't mean forgetting the injustice. But it means letting it go, and trying everything.

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**Wilde times of the tame collar review:**

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I've always be interested in the TAME collar storyline, and I think it could have been on par with the final film (albeit in different ways). I've written this fan-fic as a recreation. But another person (WillFanofMany) has, on youtube, created his own recreation called 'Wild times of the tame collar'.

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However, I don't think that this recreation is that original version (and the Q&A session confirmed it got things wrong). In many ways, it certainly comes close, while also bringing new ideas to the table. His way of bridging the gap between the little-rodentia chase and Kozlov's makes perfect sense (made easier from the fact that we now know Nick doesn't have to change out of a prison uniform). At the same time, the idea of Nick proving his innocence before the end of the film is very interesting and could actually fill a major plot hole (how he's able to stay at Judy's without being ratted out) however it isn't used to do so in his interpretation. But, while it seemed odd at first, the more I think about it the more it makes sense.

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Unfortunately, this recreation does have some major issues:

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Nick's backstory is just bolted in in the same place as it is in the final film, but doesn't actually serve the plot in any way. In the final film, the backstory builds sympathy for Nick, makes him a more layered character, explains many of his actions beforehand while giving context for his actions later on (freaking out when he sees the savages muzzled and taking it out on Judy). Finally, it allows the end of the film to give Nick some closure.

In my Fan-Fic, Nick's backstory builds sympathy for him, fills in what I (and apparently others) perceive as a major plot hole, explains his actions/ mannerisms from beforehand while giving Nick the motivation and drive to do things such as set up Wild Times. It also gives him a chance to acheive closure at various stages, subjects him to a dollop of horrific irony at a certain point and explains a few plot points used later on.

My interpretation turned out to be very close to the real deal, which was revealed by Rich and Byron in a Q&A session. John tried to defend Nick from the Rhino in the pitch scene. John attacked the rhino, and got carted off 'forever' for being an aggressive pred.

In this recreation, however, the backstory just adds sympathy and, even then, it raises more questions than answers (how does Nick just loose his father in the crowd?). It also makes no sense given the context that the writers gave Nick more and more backstory with the purpose of trying to make the whole thing work for him. You could cut this backstory out and it wouldn't affect the film at all.

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Finally, the placement of the backstory on the gondola just seems to be there because that was how it was in the final film. Now, I don't deny that a gondola ride is a good place to give some backstory, I used it to give out both Judy's backstory and Honey's, but this one just seems to come out of the blue. A better place to put some, or all, of Nick's backstory is when he's visiting a psychiatrist (shown/ confirmed in a story board frame), most likely before he pitches Wild times to the banks (with Nick holding back from applying due to how his father was treated).

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Another issue is the fact that Honey, Clawhauser and Finnick are sidelined for much of the film. Making them bland background characters was one of the core things I wanted to avoid with my fan-fic, but this one seems fit to make Nick's lifelong friends irrelevant and one note bar one really weird joke near the end that is out of place/ makes no sense. At the very least, Honey would have shown the others the bunker before they opened wild times, and I see no reason why Nick wouldn't visit them straight away after escaping from Kozlov.

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While we're in the rainforest district, having a Manchas battle doesn't really fit in (the art is dated much too late to be old stuff). At the same time, we have bits of art showing 'Woolly's' place up in the cloud forest/ meadowlands district. This would be a much more likely place for them to visit, allowing them to pick up info as to where the Wolf is. They could then confront him at the palm and Nick gets injured at this point. That way, the time gap of his recovery allows time for all the legal machinations to clear him, while also filling in the plot hole of how Nick could stay in the Hopps' household without being ratted out.

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Other bits that don't make sense are why Nick hides a comatose Judy under his hat at Kozlov's rather than hiding her/ ratting her out; just how Judy comes over to Nick's side so easily (I had the Wolf attacking them as they left the palace to cement her on Nick's side) and why the city is getting more anti-pred near the end despite knowing that they were being victimised (this just makes the happy end and collar removal even weirder). Also, dropping in the Cloven Hoof earlier spoils the Woolly/Wolf reveal a little as you see that the place is a sheep bar. There is also the cut 'bat eye witness' character who likely had some semi-important role at some point or other.

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Finally, the characters and motivation seem really odd. We don't know why Swinton and Woolly hate predators so much/ are trying to get them thrown out of the city. Swinton, who the creators telegraphed as being intelligent, gives away her entire plan to Judy without a care in the world. Other characters that lack some form of depth (along with Swinton, Woolly, Finnick, Clawhauser and Honey) are Kozlov and the Razorbacks. Now, this could easily be due to limitations with his medium, or a choice to make the characters closer to what they would have been by making them blank slates (I chose to give each one a more distinct personality, even though it may be radically different from what their original one would be).

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Overall, this is a very good attempt at recreating the old plot, but I think it isn't the definitive 'old plot'. There are some good ideas, however

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**My final outline:**

Using all the information released in the past, and other interpretations, here's my final outline for what the original plot may have looked like. Unless we get a script/ storyboard leak, I don't think it's getting any closer than this:

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Starting with the everybody is naked scene, we have a whistle stop tour of Zootopia before honing in on the natural history museum. Here we hear the history of mammal society, and get introduced to the tame collar. One of the children, a red Fox Kit, is confused at first and asks about how the collars are fair. He's reassured by the guide, however, and vows to be a kind, honest, respectable mammal.

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Moving forward in time, we see adult Nick cart 'his son' through the city in a stroller. Smiling and waving as he goes, he enters an Elephant Ice cream parlour wanting to buy his Elephant loving kid a jumbo pop for his birthday. The owner initially refuses, but Nick is able to sweet talk him into selling it. After leaving, however, 'his son' is revealed to be Finnick, his childhood friend. The fennec fox has a meltdown at his degrading treatment, only to get zapped for being too angry.

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Loading the pop into the van, the four mammals (Nick, Finnick, Honey, Clawhauser) melt it down and re-freeze it. They then sell it all off, before meeting up for a burger. After seeing a pred being treated unfairly, one of them complains and Nick talks about how the prey run everything.

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_Hypothetical scene (very unlikely to be in, but possible (in my view it improves the flow and makes the start less depressing)):_  After finishing his burger, Nick says that it's his Dad's birthday, and he's going with his mum to visit him. He dresses up all smart, buys a present (some food, e.g. blueberries) before arriving at a grim and dark jail. Entering with his mum, they're allowed to meet a surprisingly cheery John Wilde, but only because he's strapped to a gurney and muzzled (Hannibal Lecter style). After feeding him some food and talking (Nick tries to make it look like he's all respectful and doing well, but John sees right through it and says that, although he doesn't mind, he's more annoyed at the fact that Nick's lying rather than the fact that he's running hustles), visitor time is up and Nick has some time alone with his dad. After asking how long it's been (John replies 25 years or so), Nick begins to get emotional (his collar going orange). John, however, sternly orders him to stop blaming himself. Nick asks, "how can I?" before leaving too.

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After a shift in Chez-E-cheese, Nick decides to get some shopping done, only to get his tail run over by the jerks (there will be plenty of other jerk incidents, but this is the only one relevant to the plot). He chases after them, wanting to confront them, only for them to trip him up. Stepping into a small vehicle lane, he causes an acorn truck to overturn and slips, badly hurting himself. To add salt to the wound, he gets ticketed by Judy. When he complains, he only gets an earful from her about how unfair her life is. She always dreamed of being a cop, came first in her class, but is relegated to traffic duty.

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Nick goes to a medical centre and has a checkup. Free of his collar, he has a euphoric dream and gets the initial inspiration for wild times.

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After a fact-finding mission, Nick pitches the idea to his friends. They love it and, seeing as they'll be in legally unfriendly territory, Honey reveals her Bunker. They share notes and ideas, but after learning that he'd have to go to a bank, Nick gives up on the idea.

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Nick has a very bad day, similar to my Fic. It's potentially culminated by a letter arriving from the prison service, stating that John went feral, attacked a guard and had to be put down. Nick becomes unstable, evidently in great grief but having to hold it in to stop his collar going off.

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His mind in turmoil, Nick goes to a psychiatrist and explains his problems. The psychiatrist asks about why Nick would feel guilty about his father being in jail, and Nick reveals his backstory. John used to make mail order suits for a living, but wanted to open a shop he could pass down to his son. He found a site, and went to many banks only to be turned down at each on due to his species. Finally, Nick had enough and tried to stop some gerbil clerks from stamping his application, thinking it would get him the loan.

The clerks scream for help, and John gets Nick to put them down. It's too late, however, as a Rhino guard marches in and grabs Nick tight, manhandling him out. Horrified, John watches as his son gets shocked and the rhino, rather than putting him down, pulls out a tranquiliser. He leaps up and bites the rhino, forcing him to drop Nick. However, John's collar turns on and his jaws clamp down, no matter how much the guard shakes him.

Other guards come in and immediately tranquilise John, thinking he's gone savage despite his collar (rather than his collar stopping him from letting go) and hauling him off to the police station. Nick waits there alone for hours, witnessing his father being hauled into a prison van by collar poles and hauled off. Finally his mother comes and silently leads him off, her collar orange as she tries to hold back her tears. Nick looks out at the city, and realises that it hates him.

Back in the present, the psychiatrist dismisses Nick's concerns and insults him, suggesting that his father was a savage and he didn't realise. Angered, Nick storms out and vows to make Wild times a thing.

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The bank scene takes place, (Kozlov/ the polar bear mafia having already been namedropped before this.) Nick gets his loan, and a montage is shown of Wild times being built.

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On the opening night, the entire place is a monumental success. Over the next few months, Nick is shown gaining confidence and splashing out, even buying a sports car.

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Nick pays off his penultimate instalment to Kozlov, who warns him about flaunting his cash around and gives him his contact details. After leaving for a deal at the Zootenial stadium, Nick returns to wild times. Unknown to him, Judy has followed him. They reunite, and he learns that she's now a detective. He almost bluffs her off, but Clawhauser comes up at the wrong moment and she discovers the park. Scared at the sight of so many predators, including a lion that intimidates her (he remembers a ticket that got his car towed), she brings out a collar remote. Her terror is only magnified when she realises that all the preds have no collars. She legs it, and Nick closes the park for a bit for safety.

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Outside, Judy can't help but see young prey mammals who she thinks are in mortal danger. She tries to report the sighting to the police, but they blow her off. Finally, she sees the mayor, who kindly promises to make sure that everything sorts itself out in the end.

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After getting an all clear, Nick reopens the park. Everything seems to be going fine, but when he retreats to an office he's darted with savage serum by a mysterious wolf and goes feral. He starts attacking mammals at random, and while his friends try to restrain him, he scares a tiger family enough for them to call the cops. Moments later, he's successfully restrained. However, realizing that their cover is blown, they order everyone to put their collars on and flee. They try to move Nick, but although he doesn't directly attack them he is uncooperative and they are forced to flee when they hear police sirens. The serum wears off just as the police arrive, and Nick is taken in.

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After a rough intake, Judy is assigned to investigate the case. Nick tells her about the wolf, but she doesn't believe him. This changes, however, when a bat arrives. He was flying about when he spotted a strange wolf enter wild times, and then leave it in a red car. Judy admits this to Nick, who begs her to use the traffic cams to find out who did it. Before she can, however, Bogo arrives and tells her she's off the case. Under mayoral orders, Nick is to be permanently moved to the savage pred containment unit where his dad was kept. Judy says farewell and Nick spends his last night in Sav-central.

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Desperate for a way out, he woo's a female rhino cellmate and tricks her into smashing the plexiglass cell wall. A small hole is created, which he slips through. After a quick detour to reclaim his clothes, Nick is spotted by Judy and is chased by her through the offices. He leaps down the atrium but is cut off from the main exit by her. He darts in a different direction and jumps into a river exit (for hippo's), before emerging from a manhole cover. Chased by the ZPD, only Hopps is able to follow him into little rodential. After a tussle, he escapes as she's left empty handed.

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Hopps returns to the precinct, but is discouraged from searching from Nick (Bogo thinking he was doing her a favour, she'd done enough work already and needs some time off). While the elite razorback unit is sent out, Judy, under her own initiative, uses the jam cams and tracks Nick. He tries to enter the rainforest district but is blocked off by patrols. Finally, she spots Nick holding up Kozlovs business card and goes to intercept him.

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Meeting in an alleyway, Judy handcuffs herself to Nick. He's undeterred, however, and tricks her into getting darted herself. Dragging her into a kitchen unit at Kozlov's diner, Nick cuts the chain in a fish mincer just as Judy recovers. Despite losing her radio and tranquiliser, she still has a collar remote and uses it, shocking Nick. Planning to use it to force Nick back to the station, she hides in a hat as she forced Nick out. However, Kozlov spots him, and orders him over.

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Discussing business, (all the while, Nick tries and fails to gesture to Kozlov that he has a spy under his hat), Kozlov makes mention of the mysterious wolf. He knows him too, and thinks he's under the command of a higher power. He says he'll reward any pred who brings that traitor in with anything. Kozlov finally discovers Judy and is furious, immediately snatching and crushing her collar remote. Mad at being spied on, and being provoked into getting shocked, he condemns Judy to death by freezing. He does the same to Nick for his perceived betrayal. The Fox begs his innocence and his attempts to imform Kozlov before. The bear concedes that he might spare him, although he needs to think about it. The two are chained in a freezer, but Nick is able to grab a screwdriver beforehand.

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Nick and Judy untie themselves, the latter revealing that she ran the Wolf's plates and got an address. On their way out, they witness a taming party and Judy's convictions begin to falter. She's still unconvinced, but on her way out they're spotted and judy gets tranquilised. Nick risks his life to save her and they escape via a snow-speeder, with the razorbacks pursuing them some of the way.

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After losing the razorbacks, Nick returns to the bunker where he reunites with his friends. While initially wary of Judy, the mention of the Wolf pulls them to her side. They'd captured him on one of the exterior camera's, and Honey believed him to be an infamous 'sheep sleeper agent.'

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Travelling to the Wolf's house on a sky tram, Judy reveals that she became a cop partly to get some recognition. Her family is so large that her parents still don't know her name. Sneaking through the meadowlands/cloud forest, they discover the Wolf's base of operation including his own conspiracy board. Emailing a photo to Honey, they also find a business card for a sheep bar and a hotel reservation for the palm hotel.

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On their way out, they're spotted and forced to flee. After falling down a waterfall, they make their way to the hotel where Nick, disguised as a porter, sneaks his way into the penthouse. Here they discover that the Wolf is in fact Woolly, the mayors assistant. They collect plenty of incriminating evidence, but are spotted by him and his biker sheep henchmen. They run and are head-butted off the balcony. They're just able to manoeuvre themselves so they fall by a gondola lift going back down to the ground. Grabbing on by his paws, Nick gets the evidence and Judy to safety before he slips, smashing down hard onto a roof.

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Waking up much later, Nick finds himself in the Hopps burrow. A week has passed and Woolly is in jail, Nick's name cleared. Judy takes him to her room and admits that she's been thinking, and has decided that the whole collar system is rotten to the core. She takes Nick's collar off, showing she has complete trust in him.

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Nick has a meal with Judy and her parents. Although initially hostile, he wins them over when one of their younger children comes up to him and, without fear, cuddles him (and he cuddles her back).

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Back outside, Nick returns to wild times only to find that everything's been hauled off. To make matters worse, public savage cases are beginning to appear, preds are beginning to protest violently and species tension is rising. Back down to square one, Nick argues with Judy, stating that because of her he's back down to nothing and things are getting worse. Things are still bad for predators, with many going to prison for life for things that wouldn't even get a prey mammal community service.

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Judy goes off, before having an epiphany. She checks her notes, checking them with Honey's and realises that the mayor was sponsoring Woolly. She confronts her, but she deflects the questions before secretly telling the razorbacks to go on with the plan with woolly's men. Overhearing it, Judy rushes to find Nick and together, they plan to work out what's going on.

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Researching the tags on the jacket of Woolly's henchmen, they find some at a sheep biker bar, the cloven hoof, and find out that they're planning to sabotage an upcoming peace concert.

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Kozlov, making word of his promise, smuggles Nick and the gang into to Oasis stadium. After following gazelle, they spot the bad guys unloading metal boxes into a loading bay. Inspecting them, he realises that they are full of preds taken from the savage containment facility, including Nick's dad (who, like many others, had their deaths fake as part of the operation). All are collarless and are primed to be sprayed with savage serum. Nick is able to take out and destroy it and, as the concert begins, Swinton arrives to check on her plan. She's livid that the serum is gone and, when her minions suggest just releasing the collarless preds as is, she refutes them and states that Preds are no more violent than prey. The collars exist just to make dumb prey safe, nothing more nothing less. She needs the preds savage to scare the prey, so she can keep on shunning the preds to make the prey feel safer and win more votes.

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Realising that she's been watched, she sends the razorbacks after Nick and Judy, who battle in a control room before moving out on stage. Meanwhile, Honey and co release the collarless preds who simply scare their remaining captors into submission. Honey and co then go off to help Nick.

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Back on stage, the razorbacks attack Nick but are held off by Judy, who uses her small size and agility to defeat them. Swinton then arrives ordering them to step down. However, Honey hijacks the screens and plays her confession for all to see. Livid, she states that preds are irredeemably violent deep down, and that the serum just shows them their true selves. She darts Gazelle's dancers and Nick before fleeing.

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The tigers close in on Judy but Nick, recognising her as a friend and possessing a slight tolerance due to his previous dose, fights them off. Seeing this, Judy removes his collar and he scares them away, giving Judy enough time to grab one of the razorbacks dart guns and tranquilise them. Meanwhile, the uncollared preds march in and capture Swinton. The entire stadium is in shock, and as Nick recovers his sanity he asks if it's all over. Judy says it is.

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Months later, the collars are gone and the city realises that it doesn't need them. Many prey mammals are doing their best to undo their previous deeds while many Preds are making the effort to return the favour. While many still hate each other, things are on the up as Nick shows his father Wilder times, his new themepark. The film ends with a re-run of the concert, this time with all the mammals in attendance and celebrating.

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*Ideally the live version from 'Time passages live' (CD released in 2002 (though recordings are from a 1978 concert)), in which it is fittingly introduced as 'an unleashed heavy metal tirade against your ears,  _in so far as we do such things_...'   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Xdb-uccYs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Dat guitar solo, yo)


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